press release

4Culture welcomes Nina Yarbrough as Arts Program Director

Summary

The 4Culture staff and board are excited to welcome Nina Yarbrough as our Arts Program Director.  In addition to her deep passion for and experience in the arts, Yarbrough brings a wealth of business development, community engagement, and cultural programming skills to 4Culture. Her work with both large and small cultural organizations and her dedication to racial equity will provide a balanced and unique perspective to the role. She will begin work in September, filling a vacancy left by Charlie Rathbun who retired in March.

Full Release

Over the summer, she will wrap up her duties as the Business Development Manager for the Central District Forum for Arts and Ideas where she built a successful fundraising program from the ground up. Prior to that, she worked at the Seattle Opera where she managed the organization’s $60 million capital campaign to build a home at the Seattle Center. Nina hails from Cincinnati, Ohio with a background in theatre performance, spoken word, and playwriting. She received her MFA in Arts Leadership from Seattle University and is currently a member of 4Culture’s Recovery Task Force, analyzing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cultural sector and creating an equitable vision for recovery.

The Arts Program Director is a senior leader at 4Culture, overseeing the development, implementation, and evaluation of our arts funding programs and serves as a liaison to the King County arts community.  The department runs a large portfolio of grant programs and initiatives addressing the needs of artists, arts organizations, and groups. In 2020, Arts distributed $4.7 million to over 900 individuals and groups through COVID-19 relief and annual grant programs. The position will play a key role in helping rebuild the arts community in the wake of the pandemic and work to expand access to communities that have historically been excluded from arts funding in King County.

Quote

“Nina brings a contagious energy and an innovative intellect to 4Culture. She will undoubtedly use these qualities to help the cultural sector recover from the impacts of the pandemic, and spur its necessary evolution to be more accessible, inclusive, and equitable.”  – Brian J. Carter, Executive Director, 4Culture

4Culture is King County’s cultural funding and services agency, supported by Lodging Taxes and the 1% for Art ordinance. With a focus on racial equity, we fund, support, and advocate for culture to enhance the quality of life in King County. For question about arts, or any of our programs, please email or call 206-296-7580. We encourage you to contact staff directly if you are interested in learning more about a specific program area.