Alyona Ushe named executive director of St. Lucie Cultural Alliance
Alyona Ushe brings a wealth of experience leading a wide variety of arts initiatives and organizations in Virginia, Louisiana, and Florida to her new job as executive director of the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance. Ushe took the reins at the end of May.
About two decades ago, Ushe founded a theater company in Arlington, Virginia, which, with the support of the city’s incubation program, grew and prospered relatively quickly, she said. “In addition to providing funding, which is critical to all the artists, (the program) also provided space, professional development, and other essential assistance to help arts organizations grow.”
Bringing arts to Arlington helped turn the sleepy suburb of Washington, D.C., into a vibrant community, she said.
“Ever since then, I wanted to always be part of a similar movement and be part of a cultural council or alliance wherever I lived,” Ushe said.
Ushe later moved to Louisiana, where she became the executive director of the New Orleans Opera Association, one of the oldest opera companies in the United States. This gave her valuable experience growing a older, established arts organization, she said.
Switching gears again, Ushe moved to Delray Beach where she started Arts Garage – a unique multicultural, multidiscipline venue created on the ground level of a parking garage. Offerings include jazz and blues concerts, world music, alternative music, hip hop, and country. The venue also is home to a visual arts gallery featuring local emerging visual artists.
Two stages feature traditional theatrical productions, as well as new and thought-provoking works. And finally, the Arts Garage offers instruction in theater, visual arts, dance, drum line, and singing, Ushe said.
Ushe also opened a cultural center in Pompano Beach, focused on re-energizing a 2,000-seat amphitheater, and was instrumental in created gallery and studio space for visual artists, she said.
In her new role, Ushe said hopes to provide a wide variety of arts and cultural experiences in St. Lucie County.
“I come to this position with an understanding of what we can do as a county-wide organization to help existing artists really flourish,” she said, “as well as developing initiatives that will bring other arts organizations, and cultural institutions, and visual artists to the county.”
The potential in St. Lucie County is “immense,” Ushe said. “There are so many artists here who do phenomenal work that, I feel, fly under the radar. Our task now is to make sure that we are no longer the best-kept secret.”
The first step is to “unite all of our creative forces,” she said, “empowering them to do their best work. Then, based on the needs of the artist, develop a program to increase the presence of those creative forces.”
Initially, Ushe said she would like to create “pop-up” arts and cultural exhibits and events in unused public spaces in government buildings. She also hopes to collaborate with Indian River State College to use their theater and gallery spaces.
With an ongoing viral pandemic and widespread social unrest, getting started on these goals will be a challenge, Ushe said. “Art is the only universal language we have,” she said. “It’s the best way to express ourselves and bring the community together. Our job in St. Lucie County is to engage our artists to unite our community.”