The Art Barn School of Art, a Valparaiso nonprofit dedicated to providing the region with quality art education programs for all ages, is pleased to announce Melissa Washburn as the new Program Manager. Her role includes planning and overseeing classes, partnerships, and outreach for the organization.
“Melissa is an excellent addition to our fabulous team and will help lead Art Barn programming on its upward trajectory”, states Amy Davis Navardauskas, executive director. “We look forward to growing our organization with her deep experience in the arts community as well as her outstanding capabilities and connections.”
Washburn, an accomplished illustrator and designer, comes to the Art Barn with nearly 20 years of experience in the arts and nonprofit world of Northwest Indiana. She has a BFA in fine art from Binghamton University, an MA in Arts Administration from Indiana University Bloomington, and coursework at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her nonprofit experience includes working as Exhibitions Manager at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and Marketing Assistant at the Lubeznik Center for the Arts in Michigan City, as well as teaching classes and workshops in drawing and printmaking. An avid hiker and naturalist, Washburn also serves on the Marketing & Communications Advisory Committee for Shirley Heinze Land Trust.
“I’m very excited to join the staff at the Art Barn. It’s a beautiful setting with a long history of providing high-quality arts experiences for the community. I look forward to continuing the current programming as well as finding new opportunities and partnerships to grow our reach and enrich the region with arts experiences.”
Art Barn’s former Program Manager, Jennifer Diaz, was hired part-time in the newly created staff position after serving as Program and Marketing Member through AmeriCorps for 2 terms. Davis Navardauskas states that “during Jennifer's time with us she helped build our capacity and expand our programming reach substantially. She was an integral member of our team and we wish her the best of luck on her future endeavors.”
ABOUT ART BARN SCHOOL OF ART
Art Barn School of Art is dedicated to fostering a love of art in its unique 69-acre environment in Porter County, IN. The Art Barn offers a full range of art education classes for children and adults and is a venue for performing arts and weddings. On June 10 Art Barn will host its annual gala at Valparaiso University and on September 16 hosts its annual outdoor Art Blitz, engaging visitors in art-making, demonstrations, music and food. For more information: www.artbarnschool.org, info@artbarnschool.org or 219-462-9009.