By Jesse Munoz
SANTA CLARITA —The Santa Clarita Community College District has announced the hiring of nationally recognized arts professional Evy Warshawski as the new Executive Director of the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center (PAC) at College of the Canyons, effective March 14.
Warshawski will fill the position vacated by former PAC managing director Adam Philipson, who resigned in September 2012 to become CEO of the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, N.J.
“We are very excited to welcome Evy Warshawski to College of the Canyons,” said Joseph Gerda, Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Instruction at the college. “Evy is a proven arts professional with an impressive reputation throughout the industry, who we are confident will continue to build upon the tradition of excellence that exists at the Performing Arts Center.”
With more than 25 years of experience, Warshawski arrives at Colleges of the Canyons having already established an extensive list of successful programming credits, community partnerships and arts educational programs throughout her illustrious career.
Most recently, Warshawski served as the Executive/Artistic director at the 460-seat Napa Valley Opera House from 2004 to 2011, where her duties included artistic direction for all booking, presentation and contract operations for the organization’s annual schedule of more than 100 multi-discipline shows and performances.
She also provided oversight of the organization’s fundraising efforts and community and corporate facility rental program, while working behind the scenes to create a variety of mutually beneficial partnerships, collaborations and educational programs with local arts organizations, community groups and governmental agencies.
During her tenure, the Napa Valley Opera House earned annual show revenues exceeding $1 million net gross, and featured artists including: Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Randy Newman, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez, Woody Allen, Jim Messina, Dana Carvey and many more.
From 1999 to 2004 Warshawski served as Executive/Artistic director of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival held on the University of Michigan campus and other locations throughout Ann Arbor.
In her role with the festival, Warshawski oversaw the programming operations for an annual lineup of 20 indoor concerts, booking artists including Al Green, Natalie Merchant, Harry Belafonte and the legendary James Brown. The festival also included an annual series of free concerts and film screenings presented outdoors.
Already familiar with working on a college campus, Warshawski also served as the Managing/Artistic director of the Edison Theatre at Washington University, located in St. Louis, from 1989 to 1999.
While at the Edison, her position provided numerous opportunities for collaboration with the college’s theatre and music faculty to develop visiting artist residencies and master classes, as a way to augment the curriculum and provide students with enriched learning opportunities.
”I am so excited to be joining the team at COC and I look forward to learning about the college and community,” Warshawski said. “My career has been focused on bringing artistic excellence to diverse communities and deepening that experience for participants of all ages.
“Building upon the current success of PAC programs and extending that reach,” added Warshawski, “are goals I will embrace in my new position.”
Responsibilities of the PAC Executive Director include the planning and executing of all fundraising, marketing, promotional, public relations and communications programs in support of the facility, the booking of talent for “COC Presents” professional and academic performance lineups, the oversight of the PAC’s K-12 Arts Education Outreach Program and the implementation of the PAC’s short- and long-term business goals and educational/entertainment objectives.
COC hires news PAC Director
