The board of Artlink Inc., the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, behind the promotion of Phoenix’s monthly First Fridays Art Walk and the annual Art Detour, has named two members of its Board of Directors as Interim Co-Presidents.
Nancy Hill, owner of Hazel & Violet, a commercial letterpress company, has served on the board since August 2011, and most recently served as Board Vice President and Chair of the annual Art Detour event on March 2-3, 2013.
Catrina Kahler, owner of Urban Affair, a marketing and media company, has served on the board since December 2011, and has supported Artlink’s marketing and sponsorship efforts.
Mike Oleskow steps down as President to pursue personal projects, but will continue to serve on the board. He joined the board in January 2011 and was named as Interim President in April 2011, later becoming President of the Board. Oleskow was instrumental in guiding the organization through a time of transition and the economic downturn.
“This distributed leadership gives us the opportunity to tag-team,” said Nancy Hill, “building on the many successes accomplished during Mike Oleskow’s tenure as President, and setting the stage for a new level of efficiency for the organization.”
“Artlink has historically played a key role in the development of the downtown Phoenix,” said Catrina Kahler, “and we look forward to providing even better service to this community.”
The Board of Directors and Officers is as follows: Nancy Hill, Interim Co-President (Hazel & Violet, Partner), Catrina Kahler, Interim Co-President (Urban Affair, Owner/President), Joseph Benesh, Treasurer (Phoenix Center for the Arts, Director), Jill Bernstein, Secretary (Keep Arizona Beautiful, Executive Director), Mike Oleskow, Past President (Modus Operandi, Owner/President), Robert Diehl (TEDxScottsdale Licensee, Organizer), Laura Dragon, ({9} Gallery, Owner/Curator), Phil Jones (Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, Past Executive Director), and Hugo Medina (Calle 16, Co-Founder).
About Artlink: Artlink, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to linking artists, business and the public to better understand, appreciate and support a thriving arts community in downtown Phoenix. Artlink supports a variety of community-based art events happening throughout the year and also operates the A.E. England Gallery, which is committed to showcasing the talents of new and emerging local artists. Ongoing community projects include support of the First Fridays Art Walk, the country’s largest self-guided gallery tour; the Third Fridays Collectors Tour; an annual Juried Exhibition; and the annual Art Detour self-guided tour, featuring open studios, pop-up galleries, family-friendly art experiences and more. Artlink’s year-round activities are supported by the City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, Phoenix Art Museum, Dunn Transportation, Snell & Wilmer, Arizona Commission on the Arts, Phoenix Community Alliance, The Torosian Foundation, Downtown Voices Coalition, Grand Avenue Merchants Association, Roosevelt Row CDC, Phoenix Center for the Arts, Obliq Art, Urban Affair and Invexi Web Development.
