Arts Council of Southeast Missouri names interim director

Tammy Maddock has wanted to work for the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri since she moved to Cape Girardeau in 2002. As the recently installed interim director, she has her shot -- including directing the organization's spring festival, ArtsCape.

Maddock stepped into the temporary role March 1 and has a contract to stay through May, though both she and arts council board members said the position could stretch through the summer, when the board will interview for a permanent replacement for Melissa Miller, the former executive director who left the arts council to return to journalism with a job at the Southeast Missourian.

"It's something I think I can be comfortable in for a very long time and be beneficial, too," Maddock said.

Maddock, 44, attends Southeast Missouri State University and is studying for a bachelor's degree in human and environmental studies. She had worked part-time at the arts council, helping write grants and organize programs. She applied for the executive director position in 2009, but was not hired.

"At the time, she was still in school full time," said Lori Ann Kinder, the arts council board vice chairwoman.

The board wanted someone with a little more experience and more time to devote to the position, she said. Maddock's class schedule currently allows her to be at the arts council several days during the week, and she will graduate in May.

"I think that she will definitely, definitely be part of the interview process once we commence that," Kinder said.

Maddock's parents moved to Southeast Missouri from Michigan in 1997 with one of her sisters, and then Maddock and her daughter -- whom she calls her artistic inspiration -- moved here. Her brother and other sister followed shortly after. But, Maddock said, she evaluated her decision heavily.

She said she was coming from an artistic town near Ann Arbor, Mich., and wanted to make sure she was entering an active art community in Cape Girardeau.

"When I moved here, that was part of what I looked at," she said. Seeing the arts council and the "strong artistic community" helped her decision to move here.

Maddock has worked as an administrative assistant and volunteered as the director of marketing for the 2009 River City Music Festival.

She was the event coordinator/manager at Buckner Brewing Co. for three years, and is working on a minor in entrepreneurship.

Kinder said she had known about Maddock's work at Buckner's and Chateau Girardeau and said she thought Maddock was responsible and cared about the arts council and was therefore a good choice to fill in.

"She's really so good with people," Kinder said. "She also proved to have fairly strong organizational skills."

Kinder said there has recently been a "loss of confidence in the way things run at the arts council."

Earlier this month, the former administrative assistant for the arts council was arrested for allegedly charging more than $13,000 to a company credit card.

In order to build the image back up and restore that confidence, Kinder said the board did not want to quickly hire someone just for the sake of having that position filled.

"We want to take the proper steps in the interview process and screening the candidates," Kinder said. "We want to make sure who we get in there is qualified, capable, likable."

Maddock said the board was upfront with her about the situation and that she is focused on getting the office organized and keeping the programs running. She oversaw the first Arts by the River fine arts and fine crafts show March 20 and 21 and is taking steps to organize a scaled-back version of ArtsCape, which was temporarily tabled because of financial reasons.

ArtsCape this year will be May 22 to coincide with the Street Painting Festival Craig Thomas organizes each year. Maddock said vendors have been invited for a nominal fee and that food and new merchandise will not be available. She said she might set up a "vintage" merchandise tent with T-shirts and posters from past festivals.

She said she is looking for musicians who will play during the day on a volunteer basis and if she can find sponsors for a children's tent, will set one up.

"We'll really be counting on the community this year," she said. "We are a [not-for-profit] and we need to keep arts in the community."

charris@semisourian.com

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