Press release form Toni Robin Public Relations on tomorrow’s unique art event in San Diego.

MEDIA ADVISORY
NEA Public Forum, March 13, 2 pm

March 13 is a big day for our arts and culture community.

Rocco Landesman, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), will make San Diego the first California stop in his national tour promoting the NEA’s “Art Works” initiative. Landesman is touring major American cities to promote the role of art in creating vibrant communities and spurring economic development. Learn more about Art Works here. The chairman’s public schedule will be posted in the Newsroom on the NEA web site at www.arts.gov

NEA ART WORKS FORUM
SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 2 PM
Mandell Weiss Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse
2910 La Jolla Village Drive
Free Parking and Directions

Please RSVP directly to Toni Robin, tr@trprsandiego.com, 858.483.3918

MEDIA is invited to attend a public forum featuring Rocco Landesman and some of our community’s most engaging leaders who will share how Art Works here in San Diego. This is a chance to hear remarks from one of our nation’s leading arts advocates and a vigorous defender of arts funding.

The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture is thrilled and honored that San Diego has been selected and provided this opportunity to showcase our vibrant arts and culture community.

Toni Robin
public relations / marketing
964 chalcedony street
san diego, california 92109
www.trprsandiego.com
e: tr@trprsandiego.com
t: 858.483.3918
c: 619.997.3918

From the official press release:

MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL APPOINTS TWO TO THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO
COMMISSION FOR ARTS AND CULTURE

January 25, 2010 – San Diego, CA – Mayor Jerry Sanders announced the appointment of two new Commissioners to serve on the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture. “We acknowledge and appreciate these individuals and their willingness to give their time, talent and expertise to serve the City of San Diego,” said Sanders.

Larry Baza is a professional arts administrator with more than 32 years experience in advocating for the arts at the local, state and national level. He was recommended by Councilmember Marti Emerald and will replace Claire Anderson.

Baza has served on the boards of various non-profit arts organizations and provided his expertise as a panelist for arts commissions and foundations. In his professional career, Baza has directed and managed San Diego arts organizations and businesses including Centro Cultural De La Raza, Sushi Performance and Visual Arts, Fingerhut Gallery and Community Arts of San Diego.

His wealth of knowledge and experience includes affiliations, consultancies, site visits and panel participation with various arts organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, California Association of Local Arts Organizations, Chicano Federation of San Diego County, National Association of Latino Arts and Culture and the San Diego Community Foundation.

Currently, Baza is a partner in Noel-Baza Fine Art Gallery in Little Italy. He lives in North Park.

Todd Figi has a long and distinguished career as an arts and culture patron, advocate, entrepreneur and civic leader. Through his career in the art, gift and design industries, he became affiliated with many business and trade organizations and was recognized as a leader and generous donor including being named Man of the Year by the Young Presidents Organization and Man of the Year in the Gift Industry by amfAR (American Foundation for AIDS Research.)

His lifelong interest in the arts led him to be an avid collector of Latin American paintings, drawings and sculpture from masters including Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Locally, he has served on the boards of the San Diego Museum of Man and the Museum of Contemporary Art, where he served as President from 2008-09.

Figi was nominated by Councilmember Kevin Faulconer and will replace Courtney Ann Coyle. He lives in La Jolla.

The mission of the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture is to vitalize the city by integrating arts and culture into community life while supporting the region’s cultural assets and showcasing San Diego as an international cultural destination. For more information please call the Commission office at (619) 236-6778 or visit the Commission website at www.sandiego.gov/arts-culture.