Monday, June 16, 2008

Cynthia Prost to head Arts & Education Council

The organization that produces the St. Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival is losing its executive director. From Post-Dispatch gossip columnist Deb Peterson:
"PROST PRO: Cindy Prost has ankled her post as executive director of Cultural Festivals of St. Louis to become president of the Arts and Education Council of St. Louis. Prost will succeed James F. Weidman, who is retiring. She will assume her new role at the end of the month. Prost became executive director of the St. Louis Art Fair in 1997 and grew it into an organization that also presents the St. Louis Jazz & Heritage Festival and The Big Read. Weidman has headed the council since 2002."
What does this mean for the St. Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival? It's hard to say, at least until Cultural Festivals names a new executive director.

The organization has a small permanent staff, with just four employees (including Prost) listed on its Web site. Laura Miller, whose title is Director of Operations & Programming, would appear to be the highest ranking staff member after Prost. Will the organization will promote her to the top job, or look outside its current ranks for a new leader? With the Art Fair just three months away, it would seem that whatever they decide to do, they'll need to act quickly. (Readers who may have more insight into the situation are hereby invited to share their information, thoughts and/or opinions in comments.) StLJN will have more on this story as developments warrant.

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