After six years at the helm of the Columbus Arts Council as executive director, Tina Sweeten will soon take on a new challenge. The West Coast native has accepted the position of regional volunteer officer with the American Red Cross in Flowood.
Her decision to leave was not necessarily an easy one.
“The past six years have been some of the best of my professional career. I’ve been in Mississippi for almost 14 years, and it wasn’t until I took this job in this community that I felt like I belonged here,” Sweeten said. “I’m sad my time with the arts council is coming to an end, but without change, we can’t grow.”
Sweeten joined the local arts organization May 16, 2011, bringing with her impressive qualifications. She holds a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, and had more than two decades of experience with nonprofits.
“She understands how nonprofits work and knows how to put together teams for successful grant applications, such as the Big Read,” said Bridget Pieschel, director of Mississippi University for Women’s Center for Women’s Research and Public Policy. Pieschel has worked with Sweeten on several projects and praised her innovations and calm professionalism.
MUW President Jim Borsig remarked, “Tina has worked tirelessly to promote the arts, support our region’s creative economy and strengthen the Columbus Arts Council’s partnerships, including the one with The W. I appreciate all her good work and wish her the very best in her new endeavor.”
Arts for all
During her tenure, Sweeten’s goals included nurturing those partnerships with others to enhance community quality of life. Along with the board and staff, she also prioritized an “arts is for everyone” platform.
She pointed to the diversity of offerings for various ages, interests and backgrounds.
“For me, one of the greatest rewards has been working toward growing the organization so that it’s truly a part of the community and people feel they are welcome,” Sweeten said. “There is something going on here all the time.”
Five years ago, Sweeten who researched and wrote a successful grant proposal that resulted in funding 10 AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers to assist area nonprofit agencies. Three are currently at the arts council, helping coordinate everything from kids’ camps to volunteer activities.
The staff has also expanded with a gallery coordinator and program manager. That’s a significant change from 2011, when Sweeten came on board. Then, there was only one other employee.
The director’s departure signifies a loss of institutional knowledge, said CAC board member Brian Gildea.
“She wore a lot of hats,” he said. “But she wore them with enthusiasm, whether they were the easier ones to wear or the harder ones, particularly with reporting, grant-writing and organizational skills.”
‘The greatest ‘dysfunctional’ family ever’
Sweeten’s last day with the arts council is Feb. 24. As the transition approaches, she considers it important to express thanks to community partners who said “yes” to collaborating on projects and programs, to patrons and supporters who never faltered, to hard-working volunteers and to all the artists she said it was a privilege and honor to work with.
“And as I get ready to move on to new adventures, I especially want to recognize the staff,” she said. “A leader is only as good as the people being led, and I’ve learned so much from the amazing women I’ve had the opportunity to spend the last six years with. They have supported me personally and professionally, and we have become the greatest ‘dysfunctional’ family ever. I have no doubt we will remain connected for a lifetime.”
It goes without saying, she added, that running an organization like the arts council would not be possible without the dedication of board members who have served throughout.
“As I look back on the work the staff, board and I have done,” Sweeten said, “I know that we have created a community treasure that is welcoming and dynamic — and that it will only get better with time and continued support from that community.”
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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