Ellen Ball Promoted to Arts Council Executive Director

LENOIR, NC (January 12, 2021) — The Caldwell Arts Council Board of Directors is pleased to announce the promotion of Caldwell County native Ellen Ball to Executive Director effective January 1, 2021.

During her 16-month tenure as the council’s Assistant Director, she worked closely with former Executive Director Suzette Bradshaw, overseeing the council’s many programs including Junior Appalachian Musicians, Artists in Schools, and the standard exhibition schedule. She also assumed partial responsibility for grant writing and management and assisted with the organization’s website maintenance and social media management.

Board President Charles Smith stated, “The board is excited to welcome Ellen as executive director. Given her extensive nonprofit and corporate experience with various organizations, as well as her time with us as the assistant executive director, we feel well positioned for a very bright future. The arts have been challenged by the pandemic over the last year, requiring a multitude of creative and resourceful solutions. Ellen has already demonstrated that she can fulfill these critical needs so that we can transcend this difficult time, ensuring that the arts are indeed alive and well in Caldwell county, as well as our partners in the Unifour, and the rest of the state.”

The Hickory, NC resident’s background spans over 35 years in marketing, sales, business management, international sponsorship management, and trade show production. As a long-time artist, Ball also has actively participated in and advocated for the region’s arts community for years.

She shares, “I am so impressed by the growth of the arts in Caldwell County. In addition to the upcoming launch of our newest public programs, we are working with the Western North Carolina Sculpture Center in Patterson and the HUB Station Arts Center in Hudson to create additional opportunities. These new directions have the potential to help establish us as an arts hub in this part of the state. It is quite an exciting place to be. I am honored to serve as Executive Director and, along with our board, look forward to moving the arts forward in Caldwell County.”

Ball replaces Suzette Bradshaw as Executive Director, who remains with the Arts Council to focus on financial administration and special projects.