Chad Herzog Named Executive Director Of UA Presents

International arts curator and leader Chad Herzog is joining the University of Arizona as the executive director of UA Presents, effective Aug. 12.

Herzog will oversee all aspects of UA Presents, the UA's performing arts presenter, by providing creative vision for the organization and curating programming.

Herzog is currently the co-executive director and director of programming for the International Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven, Connecticut, where he is responsible for the overall artistic vision, and conceiving, developing and implementing artistic and humanities events. He also oversees community engagement and marketing, and provides strategic direction, financial oversight and fundraising support.

"We are delighted to have Chad Herzog join the staff at UA Presents," said Andrew Schulz, vice president for the arts and dean of the College of Fine Arts. "Chad has a vision and a passion for the performing arts and for artists. He has a track record of providing a welcoming environment for innovation and experimentation with artists, which has resulted in higher attendance and engagement for students and the community."

For more than 10 years, Herzog was the director of performing arts at Juniata College in Huntington, Pennsylvania. There, he successfully developed innovative programming that grew participation by elevating the arts as a means of teaching and learning, integrating arts and culture into all aspects of campus life. Herzog created a model for artists and audiences to interact with one another not only through performance, but by commissioning new works and offering world-premiere performances. As a result, participation in Juniata Presents increased by 250 percent and student engagement rose by 700 percent.

"I am honored and thrilled to be joining the University of Arizona and the great staff at UA Presents, all while returning home to Arizona," said Herzog, who was born and raised in Phoenix.

"I look forward to expanding on the success of UA Presents," he said. "I believe in the power of the arts. I believe in supporting and discovering creativity and culture for the 21st century. We can do that through collaboration with the greatest artists and thought leaders from around the world, and with artists and organizations in Tucson and the region. I am eager to work with students, faculty, the UA Presents Advisory Board, and others both on and off campus to make the University of Arizona a top cultural destination in the Southwest."

In 2015, he joined the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, which produces more than 300 events per year and attracts artists, thinkers and leaders to New Haven from around the world, including Angelique Kidjo, Rosanne Cash, George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic, the National Theatre of Scotland Bassem Youssef, Kronos Quartet and Claudia Rankine, among others.

Herzog's career began at Juniata College in 1999 as the assistant director of development for major gifts, where he served as chief fundraiser for the arts. In this role, he led a major capital campaign to expand and renovate the performing arts center. He was promoted to roles in event management and alumni relations before serving as director of performing arts in 2005.

Herzog is a frequent speaker, panelist and invited international delegate to numerous arts and culture forums including: Americans for the Arts National Arts Marketing Project; Association of Performing Arts Professionals; danceNYC; Edinburgh Festival; Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; New England Foundation for the Arts; Pennsylvania Council on the Arts; and South by Southwest.

He created and developed the community-supported arts program articulture, served as executive producer on the feature film Spell, and was the original producer of One Radio Host, Two Dancers: Ira Glass, Monica Bill Barnes and Anna Bass in Concert.

Herzog has a Master of Fine Arts in interdisciplinary arts from Goddard College and a bachelor's in arts administration and communication from Juniata College.

Herzog joins UA Presents as the organization enters its 25th anniversary season. Special programming will embrace the history and future of UA Presents and feature artists from around the world, including Motown legend Smokey Robinson, violinist Itzhak Perlman and comedian Hasan Minhaj, recognized as one of 2019's most influential people by Time magazine.

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