THE CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER ANNOUNCES CREATION OF NEW DEPARTMENT AND APPOINTMENT OF MOLLY O'TOOLE TO LEAD INITIATIVE
Cincinnati, OH—The Contemporary Arts Center today announced that Molly O’Toole has been appointed as Director, Communications and Community Engagement, a new department. Ms. O’Toole will be responsible for further connecting the CAC with its communities-at-large, and her position is part of a restructuring that incorporates Marketing and Public Relations under the umbrella of Communications, according to Raphaela Platow, Alice & Harris Weston Director and Chief Curator.
“Formalizing Community Engagement sets us on a course to realizing important long-term goals,” said James Fitzgerald, Sr. the President of the CAC Board of Directors. “The restructuring reflects our priorities as an institution, and gives clearer vision to our mission by more closely engaging the CAC and its programs with our diverse community.”
“For 70 years, the Contemporary Arts Center has been a pioneer, and this new structure allows for increased awareness of, and participation in, the Center,” Platow said. “I am proud of what the CAC has accomplished and the fact that we are an organization that values community interaction. With the dynamic exhibitions and events the CAC is offering, this is an exciting proposition. Now is an important time for us to engage our members and residents in new ways.”
Tapping O’Toole to lead the effort made sense. “She brings a lot of experience and knowledge to the table,” states Platow. “She is a strategic and creative force, with fresh perspectives and sharp talent.” O’Toole will oversee new initiatives in visual marketing as well. . According to Platow, O’Toole’s versatility is an advantage: “Extremely adept and well-rounded, she can step into the role of Creative Director just as easily as Community Partner. That makes her an incredible asset—for all of us.”
O’Toole states “I am ready to get going. There is no place I’d rather be. The Contemporary Arts Center is critically acclaimed, well-known and well-respected throughout the world. But the CAC belongs to this community; it’s one of our area’s greatest resources. It has an incredible energy, one we can all embrace—and you can expect to be hearing that message more than ever.”
A native, O’Toole lived in New York and Chicago before returning to Cincinnati. Prior to joining the CAC, she was in charge of global business development and international marketing for an information services consulting company. Before that she had been the Assistant Vice President of Marketing at Christie’s International, Plc. She also has worked in Mexico and Nigeria, holds a master’s degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Chicago, and has an enormous personal commitment to community development.
Contact: pr@contemporaryartscenter.org
About the Contemporary Arts Center
Founded in November 1939 as the Modern Art Society by three visionary women in Cincinnati, Contemporary Arts Center was one of the first institutions in the U.S. dedicated to exhibiting the art of our time. In May 2003, the Center relocated to its first free-standing home, the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art, designed by Zaha Hadid. Throughout its distinguished history, the Center has earned a reputation for stimulating thought and introducing new ideas by presenting the work of diverse artists from around the world, including hundreds of now-famous artists such as Laurie Anderson, Jasper Johns, Louise Nevelson, Nam June Paik, I.M. Pei, Pablo Picasso, Robert Rauschenberg, Kara Walker and Andy Warhol. CAC focuses on new developments in painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, performance art and new media, presenting eight to 12 exhibitions and 20 to 40 performances annually.
The CAC receives ongoing support from: Fine Arts Fund; Ohio Arts Council; City of Cincinnati; The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, City of Cincinnati Arts Grant Recipient; The Kettering Fund; and the generous contributions and grants of individuals and corporations and foundations, CAC memberships, facility rentals, special events and sales from the CAC Store.
www.contemporaryartscenter.org
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