Familiar Faces, New Roles

At ArtFields 2022, excitement mounted surrounding the release of the ArtFields Collective Strategic Plan. We made three promises to our local and Southeastern community through the pillars in our strategic plan: to lift up Lake City, our home and host city; to celebrate Southern art during our event and in our gallery spaces to best provide for artists; and to grow our year-round art town, our most exciting new initiative to intentionally foster a community conducive to artistic expression and growth.

With these incredible promises, the team got to work on the execution. We’re thrilled to announce that in order to maximize our services, the team has been restructured to take on these exciting growth opportunities.

Familiar faces that you know and love will continue in new roles moving forward. Jamison Kerr, former ArtFields Collective Director, now serves as the Director of Art Town Development. Carla Angus, former Education and Program Manager, is the Director of Community Engagement, and Roberta Burns, former Marketing Manager, is the Director of ArtFields Presents. Each of these roles aligns with the three pillars we identified during the strategic planning process.

Jamison Kerr: Director of Art Town Development

Jamison Mady Kerr is a native of Florence, SC and graduate of Francis Marion University, where she discovered her art history obsession and passion for amplifying the stories told by artists through their work. She joined the ArtFields team as an intern in 2014 and never looked back! She lives in Lake City with her husband, daughter, too many pets, and more books than she will ever actually read.

Jamison has long envisioned Lake City becoming a year-round arts oasis. As she heads up the creation of brand new programs, Jamison’s focus will be on studios, residencies, public art, internships, and recruitment. “ArtFields has meant so much to so many and I believe that the work we have ahead of us will push us to the next level for the artists we serve and the community that surrounds us,” she says.

Carla Angus: Director of Community Engagement

Carla graduated from Winthrop University with a MS in Education and has the pleasure of starting her career as a teacher, coach, and administrator. As a youth advocate, she founded Dramatic Coffee Beans, a youth development organization that addresses social dilemmas through the use of the arts. She enjoys watching TV, working out, and spending time with her family. 

Carla, a founding member of the ArtFields event, will dig into community workshops, the volunteer program, K-12 arts education, and ArtFields Jr. programs. “As a Lake City native, I never saw myself living or working here as an adult. Now, I’m excited to be able to work in my hometown and make a difference through the creative arts with students and adults alike. It’s a full circle moment to be able to encourage graduates to return home and make a positive difference in this community,” Carla shares.

Roberta Burns: Director of ArtFields Presents

Roberta is an entrepreneur, realtor, and marketing professional. She is a graduate of Westminster College in Fulton, MO with degrees in marketing and business administration. Roberta is the co-founder of Second Floor Media, a South Carolina based agency that provides photo, video, and marketing services to clients ranging from local coffee shops to international brands and Fortune 500 companies. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, reading, and spending time with her husband, Mike, and rescue dog, Bootsy. 

Roberta adds to her marketing role with additional focuses on the ArtFields festival/competition in April, exhibitions in the fine art gallery spaces, and an exciting new arts based event during the fall season each year. “I’m thrilled to be part of the next chapter of ArtFields and further improve the experience at the annual festival and beyond,” she says.

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Additionally, Ed Bethea joins the team in Lake City as the Executive Director for the Lake City Creative Alliance, the 501(c)(3) non-profit that sponsors the ArtFields Collective programs. Bethea brings years of experience leading dynamic change in organizations, most recently at Florence-Darlington Technical College.