Across My Office with Brenda Durant

Written By: Brenda Durant Jan 2023

Great news! The Arts Council completed our move to the 2nd floor of Sacred Heart. We used one community volunteer plus Sacred Heart’s maintenance man Frank Bradley, as well as family, hand trucks and furniture sliders. My back was very upset with me but it is done! My husband will come in and hang paintings and posters then the move will be perfectly wrapped up.

 

With a large conference room, we will be hosting larger meetings in a comfortable space. Our new phone system allows us to operate in a professional way both in-person and remotely. We all love our views, even Heather who chose the office with the West Side Story view of the fire escape. I feel like the queen of the castle with a view of 13th and Ellis reaching to Broad Street. A perfect fit.

 

Denise Tucker has been managing the AEP6 program- working with local volunteers to take surveys at events to capture the economic impact of the Arts. So, if you see people with clipboards at an event you attend- please take two minutes to answer the survey questions and support all the arts organizations in town. This really is valuable information. Thanks!

 

For the last two years, our Board has taken on more Development duties. They are making calls to community leaders to introduce them to the Arts Council. To help manage this program we just increased Denise Tucker’s hours to include Development and Membership. Thanks to the move, we are happy to have plenty of space for Denise. She is researching a new donor management program and will be working with Board Members as they make connections in our community to support our mission. Welcome Denise.

Photo of the facade of Sacred Heart as seen from Brendas window. it is a red brick catholic church with renaissance style arches and stained glass.
The view from Brenda's window

It’s no secret that I love a variety of Arts Events! This weekend I will attend the Melissa Cearley opening at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art then take a spin around downtown to see what else is happening. I have tickets for the January Southern Soul and Song Concert at the Imperial and received tickets to David Sedaris at the Miller in April. Of course, I will be at the Wet Paint Party and Art Sale on March 4, where the Alice in Wonderland theme makes my mushrooms grow. For Christmas my well-adjusted middle child gifted us tickets to Southern Culture on the Skids in Charleston, and I will be camping at Lake Eden Arts Festival in May. I love having Events to look forward to, it makes the year fly-but in a fun way.

 

I hope your year is off to a good start. I love the December break but, this year, I was ready to return to work. Perhaps it’s this great view, my dedicated staff, the hardworking Board or the new Sculpture Trail. All is right in my world.

 

Brenda