Fayetteville appoints new arts and culture director
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The City of Fayetteville has selected Raven Cook to serve as its art and culture director.
Courtesy: City of Fayetteville, Raven Cook
The city said Cook is a widely known educator, community organizer, broadcaster and scholar. She has spent her career deepening Fayetteville’s understanding of arts and culture.
She plans to lead the implementation of the city’s arts and culture plan, serve as a staff representative for the Fayetteville Arts Council and serve as the city’s liaison to the Creative Arkansas Community Hub and Exchange (CACHE).
“We can’t wait to welcome Raven to the team, where she will continue the momentum of working with the creative ecosystem to put the Arts and Culture Plan into action,” Alison Jumper, Director of the Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Department said.
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Cook has held several roles in arts education and community programming in Arkansas. She worked as an associate museum educator at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, training teachers on race and Black history, and later served as director of education at Mosaic Templars Cultural Center in 2021. In 2019, she launched “Reflections in Black,” a weekly segment on a local radio station.
While earning a master’s degree in art history at the University of Arkansas, she interned with Creative Arkansas Community Hub and Exchange (CACHE), supporting artists and developing resources. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the university.
Cook founded Foundations: Black History Educational Programming and has received recognition including selection to the Studio Museum of Harlem 2021 cohort and an arts award from the Northwest Arkansas Black Action Collective.
“Arts and culture are essential to how people experience Fayetteville,” Mayor Molly Rawn said. “Raven brings both creative vision and a strong community connection. She understands how culture shaped place and we’re excited for her to lead this next chapter.”
Cook is set to begin her role on May 26.
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