ArtsKC regional arts council has a new CEO

Bruce W. Davis, who spent 18 years as executive director of Arts Council Silicon Valley in California, is the new president and chief executive officer of ArtsKC.

Davis will assume his new positions on Feb. 8, ArtsKC said Tuesday. The regional arts council works on cultural planning in a five-county area and helps fund local artists and organizations.

In his new post, Davis will manage a staff of 10 and a budget of about $2 million.

He succeeds Harlan Brownlee, who left the organization last summer and was later named chief executive officer of the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey. Susan Stanton has served as interim president and chief executive since July.

“I understand the pioneering and sweat equity it took Kansas City to earn its way into the national arts spotlight and what remains to be done to build upon the excellence of the existing arts ecosystem,” Davis said in the announcement.

Davis served as head of the Silicon Valley arts council for 18 years, where he helped turn the organization into the largest nonprofit arts council in California, ArtsKC said.

His resume also includes eight years as executive director and producer of the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, which is considered one of the longest-running multicultural dance festivals in the nation. For the past year, he has worked as a consultant.

“Davis’ proven ability to grow nonprofits and raise significant private investments makes him a terrific fit with our strategic plan and the right leader to foster new creative ways to promote, support and advocate for the arts across the Kansas City region,” said Brad Douglas, who chaired the search committee and is the incoming ArtsKC board chair.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 12:40 PM with the headline "ArtsKC regional arts council has a new CEO."