Idris Goodwin Named New Director of the Fine Arts Center

Idris (pronunciation: Ee-drees) Goodwin, an accomplished playwright, poet, director, educator and organizer, will be the next director of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College (FAC), effective May 1, 2020.

Most recently, Goodwin worked as producing artistic director of Stage One Family Theater in Louisville, Kentucky. He has strong connections to the Colorado Springs and Denver arts communities. He taught for six years in the department of Theatre and Dance at Colorado College and wrote plays and poetry, directed, and performed at the FAC; CC; University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and its Gallery of Contemporary Art; Colorado Springs Philharmonic; on 91.5 KRCC; and in Denver at Denver Center Theatre, Curious Theatre Company, and MCA Denver.

Goodwin brings extensive experience as a visionary arts leader, working to use the power of the arts to build more equitable, inclusive and invigorating spaces for all. Passionate about cultivating new audiences in the arts, Goodwin actively serves on the national advisory boards of Theatre for Young Audiences USA and The Children's Theatre Foundation of America, as well as New Mexico's 516Arts. He is the recipient of multiple awards from the Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation and The National Endowment for The Arts, and was voted Teacher of the Year at Colorado College in 2015. Goodwin holds a master of fine arts degree in creative writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a bachelor's degree in film, video and screenwriting from Columbia College.

"During my time as a professor at Colorado College, I engaged with the Fine Arts Center in so many different ways, from co-planning a hip-hop festival, to teaching classes, to wandering its galleries lost in inspiration," Goodwin said. "And what a time to return! This alliance between two fixtures of the community brings together centuries of impact in the Front Range. In an age of innovation and creativity, we can become the defining multi-disciplinary art space of the 21st-century West. I am humbled, honored and energized by this tremendous opportunity and I can't wait to join the team and help shape the next chapter. See you soon, 719!"

Alan Townsend, provost at Colorado College, said Goodwin's community connections and vision make him the right person to lead the FAC next. "As the Fine Arts Center completes its transition to Colorado College this summer, we sought a director who could maintain and expand its essential community ties, and also help develop exciting new opportunities for our members, visitors, students, faculty and staff," Townsend said. "I'm thrilled to welcome Idris back to the college and the Springs. Not only is he an internationally known artist with extraordinary vision, he brings unique knowledge of the Colorado Springs, Denver and CC communities that will be invaluable to the FAC in the coming years."

Goodwin will lead strategic direction and manage operations for the FAC, serving both Colorado College and the Colorado Springs community. The position is currently held by FAC Director Erin Hannan, who announced her intended departure in Nov. 2019.

"We are incredibly fortunate to have Idris return to Colorado Springs and focus his considerable talents on the Fine Arts Center," Hannan said. "I'm honored to pass the proverbial torch into his capable hands, as his literary and theatrical accolades, understanding of the creative and artistic process, background as an educator, scholar and practitioner, and involvement in the Colorado arts community can serve the mission in countless ways. As the Fine Arts Center continues to implement an aspirational strategic plan, Idris' vision for the ways in which the arts create transformational experiences and social impact will be invaluable."

Goodwin will begin working with Hannan on a leadership transition plan this month in advance of his official start date in May.

To post a comment, you must register and login.