February 21, 2020

ArtStarts in Schools Executive Director Departing

ArtStarts in Schools announces the departure of its Executive Director, Navida Nuraney as of March 11, 2020. Navida has been Executive Director with ArtStarts since 2011. During her tenure, she led the organization through a tremendous period of sustained growth. ArtStarts disburses more than $1.2 million in grants annually to support artists to work in schools and coordinates the delivery of over 2,000 performances and workshops to engage over 500,000 young people in communities across the province of British Columbia. ArtStarts also offers professional development opportunities for artists and educators and supports families to access creative experiences together through programming in the ArtStarts Gallery in downtown Vancouver.   

“Navida has been an exceptional leader for ArtStarts in Schools. The legacy of her creative leadership is embedded into the people and culture of the organization, and it will support our mission moving forward. ArtStarts stands today – agile, increasingly relevant, and socially conscious because of the contributions of Navida and her team.

During her time with ArtStarts, Navida has built integral relationships with sector peers, arts-based organizations, public officials, and local businesses that share the purpose of ensuring that arts and creativity are integrated in how our future generations think, feel and act. We are grateful for her years of service to ArtStarts.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and ArtStarts staff we wish Navida the very best in her new role as Assistant Director with Cultural Services at the City of Vancouver,” said Thara Vayali, Board President, ArtStarts in Schools.

“For the past nine years, ArtStarts has been the object of my creative attention. I have invested deeply in developing the organization’s culture, which embodies creativity and is centered on growth and learning. It has been important work to lead the organization’s equity learning journey and take responsibility to build our stamina to engage in the work towards equity and decolonization. The arts are a powerful approach towards creating a more just and equitable world and in my new role I look forward to continuing to strengthen the arts and culture sector during a transformative time in history,” said Navida Nuraney.

The board will soon announce a plan for the transition period to a new leader focused on delivering ArtStarts in Schools’ strategic plan.

Inquiries may be directed to Thara Vayali at [email protected].

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