The Office of Arts & Culture announces a new Community Arts Manager

The Office of Arts and Culture (OAC) is pleased to announce that following a national search, Rhonda Ivery has been selected as the first Community Arts Manager. This is a brand new position within the OAC and is a direct result of the 2018 Dallas Cultural Plan. The position will oversee Dallas’ development and implementation increased pop-up cultural programming service, that brings programming to underserved residential and non-traditional areas across Dallas.  Rhonda currently serves as the Artist Resource Coordinator with OAC’s Cultural Programs Division, and oversees the Community Artist Program (CAP). CAP provides funding for a roster of artists to bring performances, workshops, classes and more at no cost to residents of Dallas upon request.  She also serves as one of the OAC’s Values Ambassadors for the City to advance the four values of service, empathy, excellence, ethics and equity. 

Rhonda was appointed to her current position with OAC in February of 2017. She came to the OAC from the City’s Office of Special Events where she organized large-scale events as a Special Event Permit Coordinator for 12 years.  Since beginning with the City, Rhonda has forged partnerships with many City departments and other organizations including the Dallas County Juvenile Department.  Rhonda spearheaded the Arts & Rec Live! pilot with the Park and Recreation Department, Dallas Public Library, and Dallas Police Department, to bring socio-cultural programming to under-utilized parks throughout the city. 

Rhonda is originally from Panama City, Panama, by way of Riverside, California.  She has called Dallas home since 2003.  Her family is her pride and joy.  Her husband, Randall, is the nephew of the late, great, jazz saxophonist, Marchel Ivery.  She has two extremely talented children; her son is a Theater and Music Teacher, and her daughter is an accomplished singer/songwriter.  The apple of Rhonda’s eye is her 5-year-old granddaughter who is an aspiring prima ballerina. 

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About the Cultural Programs Division:

The Cultural Programs Division of the Office of Arts and Culture administers Dallas’ cultural support programs, which provides over $6 million to support the arts, cultural organizations and individual artists in Dallas. These programs are supported and advised by the Allocations Committee of the Arts and Culture Advisory Commission, which is a City Council-appointed body of artists, arts administrators, and interested community members. The division also assists with implementation of the new Cultural Plan for the City, identifying and supporting neighborhood arts programs within the City, growing a technical assistance program to help artists and arts organizations build capacity and strengthen their businesses, and implementing priorities identified by the Director of Arts and Culture and City management. The Community Arts Manager reports to OAC’s Business Operations Manager.