Release: The Umbrella Announces Next Executive Director

EILEEN WILLISTON ANNOUNCED AS THE UMBRELLA ARTS CENTER’S NEXT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

CONCORD, MA – April 11, 2024 – The Board of Directors of The Umbrella Arts Center announced today the appointment of Eileen Williston as the Center’s next Executive Director, effective July 1, 2024. Williston, an experienced arts administrator with over 16 years of proven success in nonprofit management, joined the organization in 2020 and currently serves as The Umbrella’s Deputy Director.

“Eileen has made the arts the center of her life’s work. Her proven track record, strategic vision, and operational expertise, as well as her deep understanding of the arts landscape in our region, make her the perfect candidate to lead The Umbrella into its next chapter.” said Board Chair Ellen McHale. “After a thoughtful and detailed selection process over several months, the Board has voted to unanimously and enthusiastically welcome Eileen as the next Executive Director.”

In her new role, Williston will oversee the strategic direction of The Umbrella Arts Center, working closely with staff, artists, patrons, and the broader community to advance its mission of enriching lives and building community through the arts. She will also be responsible for cultivating partnerships, developing programming, and ensuring the organization's financial sustainability.

“The arts are more critical than ever with their intrinsic ability to inspire, educate, and catalyze conversation and connections across communities,” shared Williston. “It’s an honor to be chosen to lead The Umbrella Arts Center, with its unique, interdisciplinary approach to the arts, and its extraordinary staff.”

Williston will succeed the current Executive Director, Jerry Wedge, who will be retiring from The Umbrella after 12 years of leadership marked by the renovation and expansion of the arts center. “I am absolutely thrilled the Board has selected Eileen to take over as The Umbrella’s new Executive Director.” said Wedge. “She has been central to our planning and growth over the past four years, and she is exceptionally well-equipped to lead this organization into the next generation of growth and success.”

As Deputy Director, Williston spearheaded initiatives that resulted in significant organizational growth and impact across The Umbrella’s Performing Arts, Education, and Visual Arts programs. She restructured the organization’s administrative and operations teams and led fundraising through the COVID-19 pandemic achieving a record-setting 64% increase in contributed revenue. In her new role, Williston will work with the Board to initiate a strategic planning process to guide what has become a well-regarded regional visual, performing, and educational arts destination in the Greater Boston MetroWest region.

Prior to joining The Umbrella, Williston was the Managing Director at Boston Lyric Opera where, as a member of the leadership team, she helped to strategically guide the company and led its first comprehensive campaign. Her career began as a performing artist in the Boston region and beyond including roles with SpeakEasy Stage, The Lyric Stage Company of Boston, Wheelock Family Theatre, The Gloucester Stage Company, and more. Before moving to arts administration, she worked at Fidelity Investments coordinating client events around the country.

Williston holds a degree in communications and performing arts from Marywood University in Scranton, PA.

About The Umbrella Arts Center:

Welcoming nearly 30,000 visitors each year, The Umbrella Arts Center is a cultural leader in the Greater Boston MetroWest region providing broad and diverse access to a wide range of performing arts, visual arts, and arts education. Annual programming includes a professional season of musicals and plays produced by The Umbrella Stage Company, Concert and Film Series, year-round gallery exhibits, robust classroom offerings, and a popular summer camp. In addition, The Umbrella is an artistic home for more than 50 studio artists and artists-in-residence.

Located in the historic and cultural center of Concord, MA, The Umbrella features multiple gallery spaces, state-of-the-art performance spaces including a 350-seat main stage theater and a 100-seat flexible black box space, a recently expanded Ceramics Studio, classroom spaces designed to support a range of artistic mediums, ages, and experience levels, as well as independent artist studios.

The Umbrella Arts Center promotes creativity, learning, personal growth, and cultural exchange through accessible arts education programs, performing and visual arts presentations, and community collaborations.

https://theumbrellaarts.org/