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The Arts Council for Chautauqua County has announced that David Schein has agreed to become its next Executive Director.
Schein is an artist and an arts manager who most recently has been the Executive Director of Free Street Programs in Chicago, Illinois since 1996, and Artistic Director beginning in 1991. Free Street is known nationally and internationally as an exemplary arts provider and producer of community based projects in theatre, music and writing.
At Free Street he created programs with many of Chicago’s major civic institutions, schools, universities, theatres, parks and department of cultural affairs. David's primary responsibilities were for the fiscal affairs of the organization, grant-writing, development, and donor cultivation, marketing, box office and relationship building. He has supervised a staff of talented artists, teachers and producers from all over the world to work with people in the Free Street community and Free Street's teen companies are touring Europe annually.
Prior to his association with Free Street, Schein was a performer, director and producer in the theatre arts. He was the original director and co-writer of "Whoopi Goldberg on Broadway" and toured and performed with Ms. Goldberg throughout North America and Europe. He produced his own operas, musicals and plays in the San Francisco Bay area, as well as large arts marathons there. He has performed and directed in Germany, France and England and created radio arts projects in Tijuana for NPR. Schein was also employed as the theatre teacher at the San Francisco County jail.
Schein is also a current director of the AWASSA AIDS EDUCATION CIRCUS that gives marketplace performances throughout Southern Ethiopia. As an artist/educator, he specializes in using theatre and writing to extend the boundaries of art and to use it as a tool for personal growth, civic health, and social change.
David is married to Dana Block, an actress, dancer and oenophile. Ms. Block attended the acting conservatory at SUNY Purchase and studied at the Michael Howard Studio in New York City. She has performed in repertory in Chicago, New York and San Francisco. She is a founding member of the Plutonium Player’s “Ladies Against Women” and, as a “Lady” she has opened for the Grateful Dead and Paul Krasner on tour. She has written and performed three solo shows, appearing as a featured artist at Chicago’s Green Mill, birthplace of the poetry slam movement. She has studied modern and classical dance for many years. Ms. Block is also a wine expert and has worked in wine sales in New York and as a consultant in Chicago.
The Scheins have an eight-year old daughter named Aurora. They are extremely excited to be moving to the area where David is anxious "to have the opportunity to weave the arts inextricably into the fabric of the civic life of Chautauqua County." Mr. Schein will be in Chautauqua County part-time during the months of June and July and will resume full-time duties in August.
Susan Jones, Chairman of the Arts Council stated, ““The Arts Council of Chautauqua County is recognized across New York State for the Arts in Education programs it has nurtured. We believe David Schein will take the Arts in Chautauqua County to the next level. Our Search Committee, comprised of Marty Merkley, David Shepherd, Edward McFadden, Michael Flaxman, Keith Schmitt, Alexis Theofilactidis and myself, have worked very diligently since November 2002 canvassing the country to find just the right person to become executive director of the Arts Council for Chautauqua County. We are very lucky to have a man of David’s talents and enthusiasm taking over the helm of our organization. David’s capabilities are without boundaries, his energy is infectious and his background is rich with experience.”
Schein will be visiting Jamestown on June 16 and 17. The Arts Council will hold a reception to introduce David to the community on Tuesday, June 17 beginning at 5:00 PM at the Reg Lenna Civic Center followed by a North County reception at the Adams Art Gallery in Dunkirk beginning at 7:30 PM.
For further information please review other sites managed by the Arts Council:
BigSplat.net (community web site, including local information and links to other organizations and agencied in Chautauqua County).
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