Andy Truscott speaks with Neil Kirschling, the new Executive Director of the Delaware Arts Alliance.

Neil joins DAA from Rodel, a nonprofit that partners with Delawareans to transform public education in the First State. His responsibilities included strategic planning, policy development, coalition management, program management, and local and national stakeholder engagement. Neil previously served as a legislative fellow in the General Assembly, conducted research for the Institute for Public Administration, and participated in the Delaware Department of Education’s “Future Education Policy Leaders” program. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Public Policy and Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Delaware.

A patron and participant in the arts, Neil volunteers and performs with various local theaters, and supports arts and cultural organizations throughout the state. Neil received a gubernatorial appointment to the Delaware Hispanic Commission, where he leads education and advocacy efforts in support of Hispanic youth and English learner students. He also serves as an advisor for the Delaware Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy board.

Following the national fiscal crisis of 2008, artists, art professionals and civic leaders across Delaware grew concerned about the future of the arts sector. They formed a 16-member coalition with the goal to raise awareness of the importance of the arts for economic and community development. It was clear that Delaware needed a strong, unified voice speaking on behalf of arts and culture, and none existed at the time. The coalition brought together an initial group of 33 Delaware arts organizations to form the Delaware Arts Alliance in 2009. Since then, the alliance has nearly doubled in size and is a strong force in advocating for the arts at the state and national levels.

To learn more about the Delaware Arts Alliance, visit https://www.delawareartsalliance.org/

To become a member organization, visit https://www.delawareartsalliance.org/membership/

To sign up for DAA’s mailing list, visit https://www.delawareartsalliance.org/contact/