Founder and director of the Young at Heart Chorus, Cilman will devote full time energies to that organization.
Bob Cilman
Bob Cilman has announced his retirement as director of the Northampton Arts Council, effective Sept. 15.
Cilman, who turns 60 in June has been the council's director since 1989.
"It has been such a privilege to have been able to contribute to the vitality of the arts in this amazing and wonderful community", said Cilman. "I have loved working on so many projects with so many talented people, but it's a perfect time to hand over the reins to the next generation of vision and leadership."
Cilman helped shape the Northamption Arts Council’s mission to "Support the Arts by Attending Art." Programs like Four Sundays in February and Transperformance have raised more than $300,000 for grants to local artists and arts organizations, $150,000 to the PTO’s of Northampton’s public schools for cultural programming and over $100,000 for improvements to the Academy of Music Theatre stage.
Cilman, founder and director of the Young at Heart Chorus will devote full time energies to that organization.
"As much as I'll miss my day to day work with the Arts Council, I am looking forward to focusing on Young at Heart for the duration of my active work life. Now that I'm turning 60, it's a natural time for me to make the move."
Her added, "I'd like to thank my colleagues, the Arts Council Board, all the great Mayors and city officials I've worked with, and most of all, the supportive artists, residents, businesses and families of Northampton who make this city such a vibrant nationwide arts mecca."