Miah Michaelsen of Bloomington, Indiana has become the next Indiana Arts Commission agency’s deputy director. “We are so thrilled to have Miah join the staff of the Arts Commission,” said Lewis C. Ricci, IAC Executive Director. “Her outstanding experience in community cultural development and her exemplary work as a local government professional makes her perfectly suited for her new role with the IAC.”
In addition to planning and development, the Deputy Director oversees day-to-day agency operations, human resources, contracts and grants administration, budget and financial management, and research and assessment.
“I’ve long been appreciative of the great work Lewis, the Commissioners, and the top-notch staff at the Indiana Arts Commission do to advance the arts throughout the state, and it is an honor to be joining them,” Michaelsen said. “I look forward to supporting the vibrant arts programs and new initiatives the IAC currently has underway and working to grow the agency’s position and impact for the future.”
Michaelsen most recently served as Assistant Economic Development Director for the Arts for the City of Bloomington. In that role, she directed all aspects of programs and services offered by the Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District (BEAD), and directed all city planning efforts related to arts and economic development, and public art.
In addition, she facilitated the City’s participation in Americans for the Arts (AFTA) Arts and Economic Prosperity IV Study, which resulted in quantification of a $72.3 million direct annual economic impact of the arts in Bloomington by arts organizations and audiences.
“Miah has taken Bloomington to the proverbial next level when it comes to promoting the arts investment as a very real economic development,” said Mayor Kruzan. “I am confident she’ll continue to play an important role in advancing the IAC’s rich tradition of making Indiana an even better place to live for all its citizens.”
Prior to her position with the City of Bloomington, Michaelsen was Executive Director of the Children’s Hands-On Museum, Tuscaloosa, Alabama and in 2004 relocated to Indiana to become Gallery Director for the Bloomington Area Arts Council.
She has also served as an arts administration adjunct faculty member at Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and has served as an independent consultant to several Indiana communities seeking direction on cultural planning.