Roberto Bedoya, who oversaw the Tucson Pima Arts Council during a decade of severe funding cuts and economic turbulence, has resigned from the agency.
Bedoya was executive director until August, when he was named TPACâs director of civic engagement and Debi Chess Mabie was appointed chief executive officer, a new position.
âI had nine loving years,â said Bedoya. âIâm looking forward to my next chapter.â
Bedoya took on the role of executive director in 2006, when the budget was $1.2 million. City and county contributions, which make up about 70 percent of the budget, have been consistently cut over the years. TPACâs budget this year is $690,000.
âI take pride that we did what we did as the economy tanked,â said Bedoya.
While government funding shrank, Bedoya was able to secure more than $600,000 in grants from national organizations such as the Kresge Foundation.
Those funds were earmarked for âcivic engagementâ projects â art projects that intersected with other community groups.
Those projects are a point of pride for Bedoya.
âThe staff and board was supportive of the undertaking and it came in the midst of economic crisis,â said Bedoya. â(The projects) allowed us to look at how we can make the community better.â
Despite the financial struggles, Bedoya found joy in his job fostering the arts and artists in Pima County.
âIf you love what you are doing, you can move through it,â he said.
âThe passion in our community is contagious. When you go out there and see the shows and art, you see the love, will and imagination at work. It makes Tucson a wonderful place.â
Beyond some speaking engagements, Bedoya isnât sure what the future holds for him.
âIâm looking forward to seeing where my imagination takes me,â he said.
