The Northampton Center for the Arts recently announced the appointment of Kelly Silliman and Heather Geoffrey as its new co-directors.

Silliman, a dancer and educator, was program director at the Center since 2017, prior to stepping into her new role. Geoffrey, a multidisciplinary artist, has nearly 30 years of experience working in arts management and in the nonprofit world.

Silliman and Geoffrey are succeeding former managing director Joanna Faraby Walker, who Silliman worked with for the past five years following the retirement of former executive director Penny Burke.

Though Silliman and Geoffrey are still fine-tuning their new roles, Geoffrey’s responsibilities currently focus more on administrative work like fundraising and financial management; Silliman’s responsibilities focus more on programming and developing an artistic vision. 

Even so, Geoffrey said, “there’s a lot of crossover” and “we are constantly in conversation, checking in how those sides talk to each other.” 

Both agree that a co-directorship model is crucial for an organization like theirs.

“There's no way to understate how complex the operations have gotten over the past seven years. The Center has grown tremendously,” said Silliman. 

“In this transition, it’s become even more clear how necessary — how vital it is, really — to have this model.”

At most nonprofits, Geoffrey said, “It always feels like there’s more work than you can possibly do, but this co-directorship makes it feel possible.”

The Northampton Center for the Arts is headquartered at 33 Hawley, which also houses A.P.E. Ltd. and Northampton Open Media. Community members and organizations can rent multipurpose spaces for shows, rehearsals, classes, and events; upcoming programming includes an artisan fair, a fundraising dance party, and a production of the musical “Promises, Promises.”

The recent leadership change comes on the heels of sizable renovations at 33 Hawley, a 25,000-square-foot former gym and daycare center. Last year, the Gazette reported that its upgrades included new floors, soundproofing in two performance spaces, a box office, a concession stand, and a green room, and changing areas for performers. Construction forced the resident organizations to work elsewhere for much of last year, but the space reopened to the public in December. 

Now that the renovations are finished, Silliman said, “The possibilities are endless. It’s felt, over those seven years, like a sense of start and pause, start and pause, and now it just feels like we’re on our way.”

Going forward, both Silliman and Geoffrey are excited to bring more artists into their space and broaden awareness of the possibilities at 33 Hawley while maintaining a sustainable nonprofit model.

“At our very most fundamental level, we are here for local artists,” Silliman said. “We're here to support  local artists in bringing their vis ion to life.”

“I’m so excited,” Geoffrey said, “and it really feels like we are entering a new era.”

Carolyn Brown can be reached at cbrown@gazettenet.com.