Judilee Reed To Step Down As LINC’s Executive Director

LINC Entering Final Stage of Its Work to Support Arts Communities

October 18, 2011

Judilee ReedNew York, NY – Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC), a national service organization based in New York City, announced that Executive Director Judilee Reed will step down from her post on November 4, 2011 to begin a new role as Director, Thriving Cultures at the Surdna Foundation.

For the past seven years, Reed played a defining role in implementing strategies and programs at LINC that built a network of sustainable, scalable support systems for artists nationwide. She spearheaded the organization's grantmaking, research, public awareness and communications initiatives, which included the launch of several multi-million dollar grant programs, as well as a national effort to increase artists’ access to information in the ever-changing U.S. health care policy landscape.

Reed's departure marks a new operational phase for LINC, which launched in 2003 as a 10-year program after an Urban Institute report identified the need to address and improve fundamental levels of support for artists and arts communities, particularly underserved populations.  

"Judilee was instrumental in aligning the strategy and resources necessary for LINC to accomplish its goals and objectives over the 10-year arc of our program," said LINC's Board President, Sam Miller. "The members of the board are so happy for Judilee and are committed to identifying the right executive to complement the talented program staff, and to ensure the successful completion of LINC's work at the same level of careful stewardship."

Prior to joining LINC in 2004, Reed served as a program development and strategy manager for the New England Foundation for the Arts, where she managed programs dedicated to public art, community building and contemporary dance. Reed holds a B.A. in art history and a B.F.A. in painting from the University of New Hampshire, and alumni status at Harvard Business School.

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About LINC
Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC) is a 10-year national initiative to improve artists' ability to make work, build social capital and contribute to democratic values. LINC is the response to a call to action borne of a 2003 Urban Institute report that identified the need for new efforts to address three key agenda on behalf of artists:

  • Expand financial supports for artists’ work
  • Improve their access to essential material supports such as live-work space and health insurance
  • Bolster knowledge, collaborations and public policies that affect the work of artists and their contributions to communities

Launched in July 2003, LINC seeks to assist the people, organizations and communities already at work in supporting artists and to address needs not being served. Efforts include funding community-wide strategies to improve conditions for artists; building online information concerning live-work spaces and health insurance for artists; and working with field leaders to advance knowledge and best practices.