ACCS and Calhoun Announce the Addition of Arts and Economic Development Leader Philip Mann as New Director of Promotion and Economic Development for the Alabama Center for the Arts
September 20, 2018Decatur, AL – Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Chancellor Jimmy Baker and Calhoun Community College Interim President Joe Burke today jointly announced the selection of Philip Mann as the new ACCS Director of Promotion and Economic Development for the Alabama Center for the Arts (ACA), located in downtown Decatur. Mann is set to officially begin his duties on October 1, 2018.
“The Alabama Center for the Arts is a jewel of the Alabama Community College System and we are honored to have someone of Philip’s caliber join our team,” said Chancellor Baker. “Just like our 24 colleges, ACA brings high-quality educational opportunities to students and community members alike. Whether it’s a student pursuing a degree in the arts, a ceramics hobbyist, or a major theater act making its way through the Southeast, ACA is the venue for all of this and more and Philip is the right person to lead the institution into the future.”
In this new role, Mann will provide leadership, expertise and innovation to the Alabama Center for the Arts and shall support the ACCS and community economic development activities, and promote the ACA to the public, businesses, and the community at large. Mann will serve as a member of the ACCS staff and will be assigned to Calhoun.
His specific duties include working closely with area chambers of commerce, economic development authorities, business and industry and other community leaders to promote economic development as it relates to the ACA; in collaboration with the ACA director, develop and coordinate programs and special events that may be produced by the ACA; participate in the planning and execution of various fundraising activities; and assist in developing and implementing plans to secure sustainability, funding from the state, federal and private sources to support the Center.
“We are excited that Philip will be joining the Calhoun and ACA teams as we continue to work toward making the ACA not only a great educational resource but a destination for those in the community or new to the community seeking outstanding programs and productions in the arts,” commented Burke.
“I am confident that Philip’s expertise and contacts within the economic development and arts arenas will prove invaluable to our community and region,” Burke added.
Alabama Center for the Arts Director, Jennifer Bunnell, also remarked on the announcement. “I am excited to welcome Philip Mann to the ACA. His expertise will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen the center’s role as a regional and community destination for the arts,” said Bunnell.
A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Mann comes to ACA after 10 years as the Division Director of Live Performance and Music Industry Development for Louisiana Economic Development. In his tenure with the agency, his work has served to transform the arts and cultural landscape of post Katrina New Orleans as well as cities throughout Louisiana. Mann currently sits on the legislative affairs council of The Broadway League in New York City and is the first government employee to be offered this honor.
Combining his vast experience in both not for profit and commercial performing arts, Mann has overseen Louisiana’s financial and developmental participation in more than 25 permanent, new and renovated performance infrastructure projects including The Saenger Theater, The Stage Door Canteen at the WWII Museum, The Joy Theater, The Orpheum Theater, The Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, Champions Square at the Superdome, the Dunham School Fine Arts Center, The Academy Arts Center at St. Joseph’s, The Civic Theater, and the new home of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. These projects represent over $250 Million in investments and the creation of over 500 jobs in The State of Louisiana.
Building on this substantial growth and expansion, Mann has worked with global leaders of live entertainment including AEG, Live Nation, Cirque du Soleil, The Solomon Group and Bowery Presents to establish Louisiana, and particularly New Orleans, once again as one of the top entertainment destinations in the US. AEG and Live Nation recently established permanent corporate offices in New Orleans, and Louisiana is now a major hub for Cirque du Soleil’s North American tour launches. Cirque du Soleil has expended over $17 million on projects managed by Mann, while creating over 350 jobs.
Mann began his career in public and private performing arts administration at two of the most prominent not for profit theaters in America: The Alabama Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery, AL and The Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ, where he served as secretary of the Board of Trustees. He went on to become an agent with The Booking Group in NYC, the largest theatrical booking agency in North America. He represented the touring companies of several Broadway musicals including Rent, Annie and The Producers.
“My career has provided me with memorable opportunities across the US but I am most excited for the opportunity to return home and build on the great work being done at the Alabama Center for the Arts,” said Mann. “ACA is an incredible venue with the potential to expand its reputation as the region’s premier art center to a destination for art and entertainment across the US. I look forward to working with the ACCS, Calhoun Community College, ACA staff and students, and the greater community to move the Center forward.”
Mann attended Birmingham Southern College and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he majored in Philosophy before becoming a professional drummer touring throughout the Southeastern US from 1993-1998.
He is married to the former Broadway actress, Ana Maria Andricain, who currently owns and is the designer for Jewel of Havana handcrafted jewelry.
About the Alabama Center for the Arts
The Alabama Center for the Arts is a collaborative academic effort between Athens State University and Calhoun Community College. It has been heralded as a model for institutional cooperation in the state. The site is a venue for college art instruction, community education, and cultural events and serves as a catalyst for the region’s creative growth and expansion.
About the Alabama Community College System
The Alabama Community College System (ACCS) consists of 24 comprehensive community and technical colleges, Marion Military Institute and the Alabama Technology Network (ATN). ACCS is committed to providing a unified system of institutions delivering excellence in academic education, adult education, and workforce development.
About Calhoun Community College
Calhoun Community College exemplifies the two-year college mission of commitment to excellence in teaching and service and is the region’s leader in education and workforce development. The largest of the two-year institutions comprising the Alabama Community College System, Calhoun is an open-admission, community-based, state-supported, coeducational, comprehensive community college dedicated to providing affordable, high-quality and accessible education to individuals in its four-county service area. Calhoun serves approximately 10,000 students at its 110-acre Decatur campus, its Huntsville/Cummings Research Park site, the Alabama Center for the Arts, and at the Limestone Correctional Facility.
