Meet our new Executive Director!

Jul 19, 2024Blog Post

Davis Arts Center announces appointment of Sam King as the new Executive Director.

[July 19th, Davis, CA] Davis Arts Center is excited to announce the appointment of Sam King as our new Executive Director. With over twenty years of experience as an educator and fifteen years of leadership in nonprofit organizations, Sam brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to arts education. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Sam on board!” Said Rachael Fulp-Cooke, Board President of Davis Arts Center. “Her incredible breadth and depth of experience in leadership, art education, nonprofit management, and outreach are exactly what is needed to elevate Davis Arts Center to new heights. Sam’s passion and vision will undoubtedly inspire our community and drive our mission forward.”

Davis Arts Center (DAC) has been a cornerstone of arts education in Davis since its founding in 1960. With a permanent home established in 1987, the center has provided a space for teaching artists to share their craft and for youth, individuals and families to engage in the arts. In 2021, under the leadership of former Executive Director Stacie Frerichs, DAC refined its mission to focus on nurturing visual artists among local youth, emphasizing access to arts education that builds resilience, creativity, empathy, and curiosity reaching hundreds of teachers and thousands of students through curriculum and take home kits. As noted by Rachael Fulp-Cooke, “It would be remiss of the Board of Directors, if we did not offer our most profound gratitude and thanks to Stacie Frerichs for her tireless work and transformative leadership of the arts center.”

Davis Arts Center is bustling this summer, hosting seven weeks of Art Camp while gearing up for an expanded fall class schedule. Executive Director Sam King reflects that, “Davis Arts Center had a thoughtful initial rollout of classes during the first two years after reopening in 2022, which included youth and adult ceramics, youth drawing and painting, and weaving for all ages”. These popular classes will return this fall with extended hours for the ever-popular ceramics open studio. Additionally, Ms. King highlighted, “The staff is ecstatic to introduce The Art Lab, a new community art space set to launch this fall, offering weekend workshops, family open studio hours, a teen art club, and community-wide art events.” Registration for fall classes begins on August 5th at 12pm.