The Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, a division of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, was founded in May of 1978 by a group of citizens dedicated to furthering the arts in Abilene. The Council has nine project committees/boards which assist with the implementation of the following activities: Annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Broadway in Abilene Series, Paramount Theatre Children’s Performing Arts Series, Abilene Arts Alliance, Grants Assistance Program, Cultural Incentive Program, Cultural Tourism, Cultural District and Young Audiences performances.
| Bob Allen | Joan Neill |
| Grady Barr | George Nichols |
| Greg Blair | Bob Nutt |
| Donna Dougherty | Anka Pakararu |
| Marilyn Gullett | Kaye Price Hawkins |
| Carol Haynes | Billye Proctor-Shaw |
| John Hill | Clint Rosenbaum |
| Debbie Ketchen | Gail Russey |
| Darrell Knight, Jr. | Leo Scott |
| Tim Lancaster | Dick Spalding |
| K. O. Long | Cody Stites |
| Jan McCaslin | James D. Tittle |
| Vance McCracken | Trish Trifilo |
| Mike McMahan | Mike Warren |
| Glen McWilliams | Bill Wright |
| Mark Maberry | Marielsa Wydanz |
| Laura Moore |
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Abilene Cultural Affairs Council 2008-2009 Business Plan |
| Mike Warren Chair |
MISSION
To promote, encourage and support the Arts for Abilene, to marshal and adapt the community's resources to the needs of the artists of the community; to work with and advise officials, agencies, organizations, schools and committees in supporting activities; to seek to encourage the establishment of new art forms to develop publicity and educational programs to carry out those other functions necessary to enhance the image of Abilene as a center for the Arts.
PROGRAMS AND OBJECTIVES
- Broadway in Abilene - Sponsor a performing arts series, sold on subscription.
- Young Audiences - Provide quality arts-in-education programs to young people to develop their potential as creative and productive individuals. Train and support 13 performing ensembles; serve 16,000 children.
- Paramount Children’s Performing Arts Series - Sponsor a performing arts series for children 4-10 years of age; build audiences for the arts by getting very young children accustomed to going to the theatre; donate tickets to agencies that serve children.
- Grant Assistance Program/Cultural Incentive Program - Assist local organizations in program development through a financial assistance program. Projected attendance: more than 300,000 people.
- Branding Project - Continue administration of Branding Project
- Light & Beauty Initiative - Organize collaborative effort with student leaders from the three universities to light up the trees in the downtown area to make it a more visually attractive and safe environment. Raise necessary funds.
- Cultural Tourism - Develop a cultural tourism program to attract more cultural visitors via an e-marketing newsletter, Abilene road trip website, promotion of artists, and art institutions through the Airport Exhibiton Initiative.
- Art in the City - Collaborate with the Center for Building Community, Americans for the Arts, and the Texas Commission on the Arts to present the Art in the City Conference in September 2009.
- Annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition - Work with Texas Tech University Art Department to present the Abilene’s Bi-Annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition opening October 24, 2008.
- Downtown Entertainment - Work with Monk’s, A Silence Production, and other downtown venues to present additional entertainment downtown during the Paramount Theatre’s 24 fps, the weekend prior to South by Southwest and at the end of the school year.