Candace Mettle
mettleca@grinnell.edu
Christian Lutz, former Executive Director of Grinnell Arts Council, has resigned from his position over differences on the direction of the council. He held his title for approximately 18 months.
“We believe that we need to reorganize with a different person to help lead the Arts Council,” said Jerry Brown, the current President of the Board of the Council. He agreed to speak on Lutz’s and the Council’s behalf.
Brown has been president since his inauguration on October 1, 2015. Prior to that he was a consistent volunteer who mainly worked on set-building. Based on his involvement with the arts, the council and the Grinnell community, his colleagues encouraged him to run for the position.
Now the council wishes to find someone to fill the vacant Executive Director position.
“[We’re looking for] somebody that’s experienced in the arts world, a dynamic leader, someone who is flexible, and outgoing and especially has experience as an arts director,” Brown said on the topic of the ideal candidate.
Brown explained that this was Lutz’s first role as an Executive Director for an arts council. Lutz has held other executive director positions in the past, but they were in areas outside of the realm of the arts.
“He had a lot of good attributes, but we just needed a different leader at the Arts Council,” said Brown.
Despite the tension between Lutz and the Council, Lutz did not fail to complete the Art Council’s big projects. Brown said that Lutz efficiently made “Music in the Park,” a yearly musical festival in Grinnell, happen. Lutz also ensured the success of the various shows in the “Gallery,” and the continuation of the Arts Academy, a program that has been going on for almost a decade.
Lutz’s time at the Council has ultimately inspired some changes to the nature of Council roles.
“He was the council’s first full-time director,” said Brown. “In the future, the position will still be full-time.”
Moving forward, the Council will be continuing its search for a new Executive Director.
