FORMER KANSAS ARTS COMMISSIONER TO SERVE ON NATIONAL ARTS BOARD

                                                                       

For more information contact: Robyn Horton Communications Manager 785/368-6542 robyn@arts.ks.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 17, 2010

700 SW Jackson Street, Ste. 1004 Topeka, Kansas 66603-3774 http://arts.ks.gov

FORMER KANSAS ARTS COMMISSIONER TO SERVE ON NATIONAL ARTS BOARD

Topeka, KS – John Divine, a resident of Salina and former chairman of the Kansas Arts Commission, has been elected to serve on the board of directors for the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. A leader in the arts field, Divine was elected at the annual NASAA conference in October in Austin, Texas, to serve one, three-year term (FY2011-2013).

NASAA is a representative organization of executive directors, chairs and council members of state arts agencies from all across the country. As a board member, Divine will help shape and lead NASAA's policy agenda with the National Endowment for Arts and with Congress, and promote NASAA's work and build consensus in member states.

“Kansas is a leader in personal artistic, and Kansans have long known the value of the arts in improving the quality of life,” Divine. “I’m excited to represent our state and promote the importance of the arts on a national level.”

A Kansas native, Divine is the owner of The Leadership Firm, a company he formed after spending 25 years with IBM. He has served as a Salina city commissioner and mayor. Mr. Divine is a member of the Kansas Association of Child Care Reference and Referral Agencies and The Kansas Sampler Foundation. He served on the Kansas Arts Commission from 2004 to 2010.

The Kansas Arts Commission is a state agency, funded by the State of Kansas and the National Endowment for the Arts, dedicated to promoting and supporting the arts in Kansas. Its mission is to provide opportunities for the people of Kansas to experience, celebrate and value the arts throughout their lives. For more information on the Kansas Arts Commission, please visit the KAC website at http://arts.ks.gov.

The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies is the membership organization of the nation's state and jurisdictional arts agencies. The public sector plays a unique and essential role in ensuring that the benefits of the arts accrue to all American communities. State arts agencies broaden citizen access to the arts in every corner of the country, making the cultural, civic, educational and economic benefits of the arts an essential ingredient of state policy and practice. Visit www.nasaa-arts.org for more information.

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