Black Labrador
4100 Montrose Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77006
( Google Map )

Thursday, July 10, 2014
11:30 – Registration
12:00 – Networking Lunch & Presentation
1:00 – Event Concludes

Featuring Jonathon Glus, CEO, Houston Arts Alliance 
As the first chief executive officer of the Houston Arts Alliance, Mr. Glus provides strategic leadership to Houston’s municipal arts agency. On behalf of the city of Houston, HAA (a 501c3 non-profit) annually distributes grants to over 250 non-profit arts organizations and individual artists. Under Glus’ direction, HAA is also responsible for long-term cultural planning and development of the sector. HAA provides programs and initiatives such as Business Volunteers for the Arts, the Management & Organizational Development Enterprise (MODE) program, the events website Artshound.com, and a folklife and traditional arts program. HAA also manages the city’s civic art and design program, including a collection of more than 450 artworks and temporary outdoor exhibitions throughout the city. Mr. Glus works with a board of 31 and a staff of approximately 20.

Prior to his post in Houston, Mr. Glus was executive director of the arts and culture for the City of Pasadena, CA. since 1999, where he was responsible for the division of the city that supports, expands and promotes the cultural sector in Pasadena. Cultural Affairs manages an extensive private development public art program and curates a city-owned public art collection. The division also manages an annual arts & culture grants program and provides on-going technical assistance to arts and culture organizations and artists. The division manages a cultural tourism program which includes the bi-annual ArtNight, bi-annual ArtsWeekend, and the triennial 16-venue multi-disciplinary Arts & Ideas Festival. As cultural advisor to the mayor, Glus conceptualized and developed international projects such as the Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition & Festival. Under Mr. Glus’ direction, in 2005 the city developed Cultural Nexus, the city’s 10-year cultural plan.

Prior to working in Pasadena, Mr. Glus was executive director of the Evanston Arts Council, in metropolitan Chicago. At that position, Mr. Glus managed a staff of more than 50 and directed a visual and performing arts complex that included galleries, two theatres, studios and gardens. He was responsible for three regional festivals, an arts camp and apprentice program for more than 500 youth, an extensive city art collection, and was heavily involved in cultural tourism.

Prior to Chicago, Mr. Glus was an associate curator and exhibitions coordinator at the International Sculpture Center in Washington, D.C., and prior to that was on the editorial staff of SCULPTURE magazine, also in Washington D.C.

Mr. Glus’ master’s work was in art history at the University of Illinois, and undergraduate work in urban economics and public policy at Indiana University and the University of Kent, Canterbury England.

The Museum District Business Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of business and the arts in the greater Montrose/Museum District area.