Mary Schmidt Campbell, Dean of the Tisch School of the Arts, Named by Gov. Spitzer to Be Chair of the NYS Arts Council

Mary Schmidt Campbell, Dean of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts – the nation’s foremost institution in the cinematic and performing arts – was today nominated by Gov. Spitzer to be Chair of the New York State Council on the Arts. Dr. Campbell will continue to serve as Dean of the Tisch School.

The role of the State Council on the Arts is to preserve, sustain, and promote the extraordinary artistic and cultural heritage of New York State, which it does by encouraging access to the arts, defending artistic freedom, providing recognition and professional advancement for artists and arts administrators, and supporting arts education. The Council provides more than 2,700 grants each year throughout the state.

NYU President John Sexton said, “Governor Spitzer has made an exceptional choice in nominating Mary Schmidt Campbell. She is a person of extraordinary achievement. As Dean of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts for the past 16 years, she is responsible for drawing in and training some of the most talented and creative young minds in the world. As the City’s Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, she was a tireless advocate for the cultural and artistic communities in our city. And as Director of the Studio Museum of Harlem, she was renowned for her leadership and the quality of the exhibitions she assembled. I believe that New York’s artistic, intellectual, cultural, and educational institutions and resources are at the very heart of our city and state’s future prosperity. We simply could not have a better qualified or more worthy person than Mary Campbell filling this crucial role.”