Hilton Head Town Council makes preparations for new arts director position

The Hilton Head Island Town Council further committed itself to the arts Tuesday with the approval of a committee that will support a newly created arts director position.

Up to 12 individuals will be selected to help with the duties of the director, council member Kim Likins said. A portion of the committee is expected to be in place before the “Cultural and Arts Network Director” starts this summer.

Town manager Steve Riley said the town has budgeted the director position to be paid between $72,000 and $112,000.

It is likely a national campaign to find candidates for the position will start next week, Likins said. She said the position will be open for about three weeks before a town committee made up of the public and staff starts an interview process.

The person who takes the position will help connect the arts, cultural and entertainment community on Hilton Head, Likins said. She said the director could work on projects such as applying for grants to establish an arts district or create an ongoing calendar of island events. The position also will work on a marketing campaign to promote what is happening on the island.

Those making up the “Culture and Arts Advisory Committee” will help with these efforts, Likins said.

“It will be a working body,” Likins said. “It is not just a meeting once a month. We feel like this job is important and too big for one person.”

Likins said the town expects to fill about nine of the 12 positions before the director starts on the job. She said the director will be allowed to fill the rest of the seats.

“This person could bring experience we don’t have and have ideas for how to finish populating the committee,” Likins said.

Hiring the director and establishing a committee to support the director are part of Town Council’s top priorities for 2017. The priorities were defined by the council during a workshop and Town Council meeting in recent months.

This story was originally published February 21, 2017 at 7:52 PM with the headline "Hilton Head Town Council makes preparations for new arts director position."