Arts Council Executive Director Recognized as One of Al.com’s Women Who Shape the State
When Alabama Media Group asked their readers “Who has made Alabama into the state she is today?” Arts Council Executive Director Allison Dillon-Jauken’s name ended up among those of nearly 200 nominees who have changed the state for the better. On November 5th, Dillon-Jauken will be honored as one of 34 “Women Who Shape the State.”
Photo by James Acomb for Alabama Media Group
Dillon-Jauken stepped into the role as Executive Director of The Arts Council, Inc. in 2009. Since then it has been her mission to celebrate and support the arts organizations, individual artists, musicians, writers, makers and creators who make the North Alabama community a vibrant and interesting place to live. This mission includes ensuring arts education is a priority.
“In order to ensure that arts, creativity and innovation continues to grow and expand locally and statewide, we need to do more to nurture creativity in our youth,” said Dillon-Jauken. ” It is my hope that our elected officials, business leaders and parents across the state will join in this effort to expand access to certified arts specialists that can provide classroom teachers with training to integrate the arts across the curriculum. Through arts integration, we can better engage, inspire and prepare students for the rapidly-changing 21st century workplace that demands innovation and creativity in order to stay competitive.”
Dillon-Jauken credits her theater background for showing her how dramatically the arts can transform a community for the better.