Michael McNulty is the new executive director of Pro-Art Association.
WISE, VA – The Pro-Art Association announces the appointment of Michael McNulty to the position of executive director beginning Jan. 1. McNulty, current chair of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, willcontinue to teach and direct in a limited role within the UVA Wise theater department while becoming only the fourthleader in the nonprofit’s 44-year history. “Michael brings a deep commitment to the arts and our community which the Board feels will help move Pro-Art forward during this time of great change in our world,” Board of Trustees President Mike Abbott said.
Current Executive Director Jan Zentmeyer began her tenure in 2017 and told President Abbott in early fall that she planned to retire by the end of 2020. “The timing is right for me to pass the torch,” Zentmeyer said.“I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished in the past few years and will miss the staff, trustees, artists and all the supporters of Pro-Art that I’ve gotten to know through the privilege of this job.Taking live performing arts programs to the schools in our region has been a particular joy for me and I know Michael will continue to expand those programs.”
The Pro-Art Board of Trustees began the hiring process several months ago and made the selection for their new executive director based on McNulty’s wealth of knowledge and experience in the performing arts as well as his 16 years of service for the organization, during which he has served as both President and Vice-President of the Board of Trustees.
“Michael is an extremely engaging, articulate and creative personwhohas served on the Pro-Art Board of Trustees since 2004,” Zentmeyer continued.“He brings a unique understanding to the business and production sides of Pro-Art’s work, as well as many exciting ideas for ways to expand opportunities to participate in the arts in our hometowns.”
McNulty is deeply committed to Pro-Art’s mission to promote the arts and expand accessibility to cultural experiences for the residents and students of communities across Wise, Lee, and Dickenson Counties and the City of Norton. McNulty noted, “We may not always realize it, but the arts are extraordinarily influential. They are deeply embedded in every aspect of our daily lives. You don’t need a fancy education or a lot of money to appreciate and participate in the transformational opportunities art provides to us all—to enrich our experience and understanding of life and the world around us.” McNulty envisions new opportunities for adults and youth in our region to get involved with the arts across a variety of new projects.“We have to foster a practical understanding of the value of the arts in the next generation of Pro-Art’s audiences, supporters and artists,” McNulty said.
Michael earnedhisBAin actingfrom Emerson College in Boston,his MFAin directingfrom Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh,and held a number of teaching, directing and administrative positions before coming to UVAWise in 2002 to become a professor of Theater Arts and Headthe Division of Theater.
More About the Pro-Art Association
Pro-Art was formed in the late 1970’s by a small group of citizens in Wise, Virginia who wanted to bring performing arts from outside the region to their home in the folds of the Appalachian Mountains. Led by founder Daisy Portuondo, Pro-Art grew to be a fixture in the region known for bringing professional performing arts of all types to Wise County. She brought world-class performances to far Southwest Virginia and Eastern Kentucky, and for thirty years Pro-Art actively exposed the region to the most diverse cultural arts programs available.
In 2007, Portuondo retired and Bonnie Elosser, a long-time Pro-Art board member and civic-minded leader was named executive director. She led Pro-Art for more than 10 years and worked hard to forge and build numerous community partnerships to broaden Pro-Art’s reach and base of support.
When Elosser retired in 2017, long-time board member and patron of the arts Jan Zentmeyer was appointed executive director. Zentmeyer came to Pro-Art after a career in Virginia government and first got involved with Pro-Art when she and her husband began taking their daughters to Pro-Art performances. She enrolled them in the annual Pro-Art Summer Art Camp and in 2001 Portuondo recruited Zentmeyer to become a member of the Board of Trustees. Zentmeyer has worked to bring live performing arts programs to area youth in Wise, Lee, and Dickenson County as well as the City of Norton Schools and knows that those performances bring joy and enrich lives. She smiled and said, “Pro-Art has been the most challenging and rewarding job I have ever had and it is hard to leave, but I know Pro-Art is in great hands with Michael. The future is bright.”
For more information you may contact the organization via email at pro-art@uvawise.edu, or their website proartva.org, or at 276-376-4520. You can also find the organization on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @proartva.
