Margie J. Reese, adjunct faculty in the M.A. in Arts Administration Program at Goucher College, to receive national award

Americans for the Arts announced that Margie Reese, executive director of the Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture, will be honored with the Selina Roberts Ottum Award at Americans for the Arts’ upcoming annual convention in Minnesota’s Twin Cities. The award recognizes individuals working in arts administration who have made meaningful contributions to their local communities.

Reese is a lifelong advocate for access to the arts. She has 40-plus years of experience as an arts administrator, more than 17 of those heading a local arts agency. Reese established her reputation as an arts leader within some of the field’s largest public institutions, including as director of the Office of Cultural Affairs for the City of Dallas and as general manager for the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. The Ford Foundation tapped her expertise to advance cultural projects in West Africa, where her portfolio centered on cultural policy development and conservation of West Africa’s cultural heritage. 

Reese is an adjunct faculty member at Goucher College and actively mentors arts leaders across the country. She has served on boards of numerous organizations, most notably as a 25-year member of the board of Americans for the Arts. A native of Baton Rouge, Reese holds a bachelor’s from Washington State University and an M.F.A. in theater from Trinity University.

The award ceremony will take place during Americans for the Arts’ annual convention in the Twin Cities on June 15.