Public art is one of the things that makes both of our communities have a little more flair, and while it may not be at the forefront of most of our thoughts, it does make every day a little more pleasant.
Today, the City of Urbana has announced that they have hired a new Public Art Director, Rachel Storm, who will begin work in August.
For more information, check out the press release below:
Urbana Hires Public Arts Coordinator
URBANA, IL – The City of Urbana will soon add a new team member to the Community Development Department. Rachel Storm will begin work as the City’s Public Arts Coordinator on August 7th. For the past eight years Rachel has worked at the Women’s Resources Center in the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, currently serving as Assistant Director. Rachel has also managed her own local arts programs for the last six years including Outta the Mouths of Babes and Girl Radio, Inc.!. Rachel holds a Master’s degree in Educational Policy, Organization, and Leadership from UIUC and is currently working to complete her Ph.D. in the same field. In her new role, Rachel will oversee the marketing and administration of Urbana’s public arts programming, collaborate with the Public Arts Commission, and work to recognize Urbana as a city where artists thrive and are valued.
Since 2008 the Urbana Public Arts Program has actively worked to make art evident and integrated within the community, to promote opportunities for public engagement with the arts, to encourage strong interactions between audiences and artists, and to help artists achieve economic success.