Snow City Arts is thrilled to announce the hire of Deirdre Harrison as Director of Development.
Deirdre is coming to us directly from her role as Chief Operating Officer and before that Interim Development Director for GRAMMY award-winning sextet Eighth Blackbird. Previously, she was the Director of Development for the MacArthur-funded shared advancement staff project Creative Partners, Director of Development and Communications for Rush Hour Concerts/Make Music Chicago through its merger with the International Music Foundation, and for several years Music Institute of Chicago’s first Director of Community Engagement.
She is a member of the 2013 cohort of the Community Arts Education Leadership Institute of the National Guild for Community Arts Education. Additional non-profit administration experience includes launching Global Citizenship Experience Lab School and work as Director of Admission and Financial Aid for Baker Demonstration School.
Deirdre earned a double BA at Yale before completing her theater training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. She is currently in the midst of earning her certificate at Northwestern Kellogg’s Center for Nonprofit Management.
A dual American-Irish citizen, she worked in the UK, EU and US for many years as an actress, singer and director. Deirdre produces Chamber Music at Bethany with her former colleague, cellist Nick Photinos and Yasuko Oura, and performs all over Chicagoland with her literacy chamber band, The Lucky Trikes, who are currently preparing to record their second album “How to Listen”.
Deirdre’s depth of experience, curiosity, and broad connections across Chicago’s arts and philanthropic communities will be great additions to Snow City Arts.
Oh how lucky you are to have this new addition to your team I have rarely met anyone as talented nor as true or as companionable a person as Deirdre Harrison. Superlatives abound when describing her. She will enhance ane enrich all that Snow Arts do and you are to be congratulated on enlisting her.