Art Center director resigns

After 16 months as executive director for the Salt Lake Art Center, Heather Ferrell is resigning from her position.

The resignation goes into effect Dec. 4, after which she will join her fiance in Qatar.

"After more than a year of commuting with a long-distance relationship, I've had to make the difficult choice to resign from the Art Center and leave the wonderful community of Salt Lake City that has so warmly embraced me, so that I may be with my family," Ferrell said in a press release.

Ferrell said her resignation was a difficult decision, and she hopes to continue working with the Art Center as a consultant to continue indulging in her passion for the arts.

She cited the Art Center's mission to "encourage contemporary and visual artists and art which challenge and educate public perceptions of civil, social and aesthetic issues affecting society," and said she feels honored to have been part of such a community-based center.

Under Ferrell's direction, the Art Center has created new community partnerships, strengthened existing partnerships with organizations including the University of Utah, Brigham Young University and the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, increased public and social engagement and built up educational programming.

Attendance at Art Center events and program outreach grew as a result of Ferrell's efforts, despite economic challenges.

Ferrell also curated numerous original exhibitions highlighting local and national artists, such as "All American: Defining Ourselves in a Time of Change," and "Displacement: The Three Gorges Dam and Contemporary Chinese Art."

The Art Center's Board of Trustees is appointing a search committee to find a new executive director and will soon announce an interim director.

e-mail: bbrown@desnews.com