Erin Harkey was appointed chief executive officer at Americans For The Arts, headquartered in Washington, D.C. Harkey has more than two decades of experience helping nonprofit arts organizations and artists in local communities, including leadership roles at major municipal arts agencies across the country.
“I am honored to lead this historic institution at such a pivotal moment for arts and culture in America,” Harkey said via a statement. “Throughout my career working with local arts agencies and cultural organizations, AFTA has been an invaluable resource, providing the research, tools, and advocacy support essential to our field. Now, by uniting our national network of local arts agencies and leveraging these trusted resources, I’m excited to drive transformation, strengthen collaboration, and champion innovation as we build stronger, more vibrant communities through the arts.”
Harkey led the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) for the past eight years, serving first as a Deputy Commissioner and then as Commissioner. In her dual role as Senior Policy Advisor for Arts in Culture in the Mayor’s Office, she advised on cultural policy and arts strategy for all city departments and agencies and helped advance the arts by building coalitions inside and outside of government.
At DCASE, she created the most expansive and equitable grant program in the agency’s history, distributing more than $23.5 million in grants during 2023 — a 25% increase compared to 2022 — and increasing general operating support to nonprofit arts organizations by 341%. She also secured more than $200 million in new resources to support artists, organizations, cultural infrastructure, and free cultural programs, according to the announcement of her appointment.
Harkey has also held positions at the Arts Council for Long Beach and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, the Bronzeville Center for the Arts in Milwaukee, and the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.
