Jennifer West
Stecoah – The Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center is entering its next chapter with a familiar face at the helm for the time being.
As of April 1, Assistant Executive Director Jennifer West began to serve as interim executive director. She has worked at the center for four years and takes over for former Executive Director Beth Fields.
Fields stepped down on March 31, after announcing her departure on Dec. 1, 2020.
“I’m happy to be here and have a chance to work with the board on our mission and keeping this wonderful center going,” West said.
She said the first few days in her new role had gone smoothly.
“We’ve been busy trying to gear up,” West said. “We’ve got some stuff in the works that we’re getting ready to announce.”
She said the center was looking at a few concerts in the summer month, and had also reopened its gallery from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday – Saturday. The center’s Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program also resumed in February after being shut down last year due to COVID-19. The center’s walking trials and grounds remained open through the pandemic.
“It feels really good, because it’s been a really quiet year and we want to see life breathed back in over here,” West said.
She said people were slowly starting to return to the center.
“We are having some activity in the gallery and visitors stopping by for brochures and stuff – so we’re hoping that once we get our tickets on sale, that people will want to attend our events,” West said.
She also discussed the center’s search for a permanent executive director, saying that the board had not yet officially opened the search.
“We’re waiting kind of until things stabilize a little bit,” West said. “The board hasn’t really formulated a plan yet.”
West, a native of Covington, La., came to the center after 20 years working as an accountant.
“I live close to here,” West said. “I love this community. I had been to the center many times as a guest. I’d been to classes here, been to concerts here, then I heard there was a job and it seemed like a great fit.”