NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bill Ivey, director of the Curb Center for Art,
Enterprise and Public Policy at Vanderbilt University, is the new
president-elect of the American Folklore Society.
Ivey, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts from May 1998 to
September 2001, took office as AFS president-elect on Jan. 1. He will
automatically become president next year.
Founded in 1888 and based at The Ohio State University, the AFS (http://www.afsnet.org/index.cfm) has more than 2,200 members who discover and communicate knowledge about folklore throughout the world.
“My folklore training has enriched every aspect of my career, and I am
both honored by the confidence of my fellow folklorists and delighted
to have a chance to work with the AFS board to advance the mission of
the society and the field of folklore,” Ivey said.
Ivey was director of the Country Music Foundation, which manages the
Country Music Hall of Fame, before being appointed by President Clinton
to head the NEA. His leadership is credited with restoring
congressional confidence in the NEA after years of controversy and
significant budget cuts.
At the Curb Center, Ivey directs cultural policy research efforts
toward programs that will nurture creativity and enhance understanding
of America‘s complex arts and media systems. The center is funded by
Vanderbilt, a $2.5 million endowment from music industry executive Mike
Curb and the Curb Family Foundation, and multiple project grants from
major foundations.
“I‘m excited to have the opportunity to work closely with Bill Ivey,”
said Timothy Lloyd, executive director of the AFS. “He brings a deep
knowledge of our field and equally strong convictions about the
contributions folklorists can make to national and international
conversations about art, culture and public policy. His extensive
network of long-term relationships with the foundation community will
be another extremely valuable addition to our resources. I‘m especially
pleased that he has also given high priority to the strengthening of
folklore studies within the American academy, and that the Vanderbilt
leadership has indicated its enthusiastic support of all his efforts on
our behalf over the next four years.”
The AFS holds its 2005 annual meeting Oct. 19-23 in Atlanta. The theme will be “Folklore, Equal Access and Social Action.”
Media contact: Jim Patterson, (615) 322-NEWS
jim.patterson@vanderbilt.edu