A new era of leadership begins for Philadelphia’s premiere storytelling organization.

On the heels of our 10th Anniversary First Person Arts Festival, we are proud to announce the selection of a new Executive Director, Jamie J. Brunson. Ms. Brunson will assume the position in January 2012. She succeeds Vicki Solot, founder of First Person Arts, who has served as its Executive Director since 2000 and is now retiring.

After a national search, the First Person Arts Board of Directors selected Brunson for her accomplishments in the areas of non-profit management and development with such organizations as New Freedom Theatre, Providence Black Repertory Company, and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. She is also a playwright whose work has been produced nationwide.

Brunson first became involved with First Person Arts in 2010 as a participant in the First Person Museum, a community engagement initiative that showcased the stories behind treasured personal items in everyday people’s lives. As Brunson approaches her new position, she says, “The First Person Museum made me realize the importance of sharing my own personal story. I look forward to working with the FPA Board and staff to continue the groundbreaking and impressive work that First Person Arts has been doing for the past ten years.”

MEET JAMIE
Jamie J. Brunson has brought storytelling to the stage within different spheres of the arts and cultural community for over 16 years. She served as managing director of New Freedom Theatre and the Providence Black Repertory Company and as Director of Institutional Gifts and Sponsorship for the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. She has served on numerous boards including the Philadelphia Cultural Fund as a Mayoral Appointee, Rhode Island Citizens for the Arts, Avenue of the Arts, and Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. She was a site evaluator for the Delaware Division of the Arts and a panelist for the Connecticut Division of Art, Culture and Tourism.

An accomplished playwright, Brunson is a four-time Delaware Division of the Arts/NEA grantee for playwriting and an award-winning playwright who was named a “New Voice in American Theatre” by the Edward Albee Theatre Conference. Her plays have been produced across the country at the Wilmington Fringe Festival (DE); the Kitchen Theatre; New Freedom Theatre; the Harlem Theatre Company, Abingdon Theatre (NYC); Walnut Street Theatre Second Stage (Philadelphia); Karamu House (Cleveland, OH); and Providence Black Repertory Company (RI). Her playwriting awards and honors include a Panelist Choice Award at the Edward Albee Conference and selection as a Chesterfield Film Company Fellowship Semi-Finalist.

Brunson holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Theatre from Sarah Lawrence College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio-Television-Film from Temple University. She is the Founder of the Wright Touch Writers Group, the official writers group of the Brandywine Hundred Library (DE), and coordinator of the Library’s Writers’ Studio.

Press inquiries should be directed to Karina Kacala, Marketing Coordinator for First Person Arts, at 267-402-2057 or kkacala@firstpersonarts.org.
Download the official press release here.