GRASS VALLEY, CA, February 25 2025 – The Center for the Arts announces that Amber Jo Manuel, who has led the organization for the past eight and half years, is stepping down from her role as Executive Director.
Under Amber Jo’s leadership, the Center has achieved many milestones; including project management of the Center’s $6.1m renovation and successfully raising over $4.1 million for the capital campaign. Stewarding the Center through the pandemic and a successful relaunch while increasing community programming and youth arts in the years that followed was no small task, and the team at the Center is grateful for her vision and tenacity. Manuel leaves the organization on solid financial footing and in capable hands having built an incredible team of passionate professionals dedicated to the arts.
“Serving as Executive Director of The Center for the Arts has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” said Amber Jo ”I am immensely proud of overseeing the renovation of this state-of-the-art facility and remain committed to the mission and the success of this organization. I am also incredibly proud of the youth arts education program which we worked to build over the past 4 years. I am also so proud of the work I did in 2024- we had the most successful gala year to date and surpassed our financial goals by increasing contributed income 12% and theater attendance 9%. It was hard work and we did it!”
“Amber Jo has been a passionate and dedicated leader of our organization, and we will miss her energy. We wish her much success in her future endeavors,” said Martin Polt, the President of the Center Board of Directors.
The Center has a plan to continue operations under interim leadership and we are using this moment to explore everything the Center can bring to our community. In the coming months we will begin the process of identifying a new Executive Director to guide the organization into the future. In the meantime, Conrad Sisk has been named the Center’s Interim Operations Director to take more of a leadership role within the organization and work closely with the board leadership team to ensure a smooth transition. We will continue to bring world class arts and entertainment to our stage and classrooms. We are excited for what the future holds.
Since 2000, The Center for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization, has grown into a leading presenter of music, dance, theater, comedy, literary and visual art, and family programming, offering more than 150 events per year from its location in downtown Grass Valley. The Center recently completed a major renovation of its multiuse, 21,000-square-foot facility in downtown Grass Valley, making it a premier performing arts destination. The venue includes the Main Stage, which accommodates up to 492 guests in configurable theater seats and up to 700 patrons for dance shows, and a 90-seat studio theater.