The head of Moorestown’s Perkins Center for the Arts is stepping down from his position to give way to a leader of the future.
Alan Willoughby, previously the executive director of the center, resigned on Feb. 1, making way for Interim Executive Director Karen Chigounis to take over the position for a few years before a new generation takes over. Willoughby has been a big influence on where PCA is today, and Chigounis has also helped the organization grow, previously as the director of arts education programs and associate curator.
“I felt it was a good time to spend more time on my own work, and I’m very much looking forward to that. I also think it is important that, at a certain point, you pass on leadership,” Willoughby said. “I will miss the camaraderie.”
Perkins Center was started 38 years ago, run completely by volunteers. As it grew, the organization saw the need to hire an executive director and more full-time employees, one of those being Willoughby 25 years ago. From a year as an artistic director, he applied to the position of executive director and has been there ever since. During those years, Willoughby expanded the full-time employees to 10, part-time employees to five and faculty to 70, teaching programs in Moorestown and at the Collingswood location, which it acquired in 2002. The New Jersey State Council has recognized PCA as a Major Presenting Organization, and it received a Citation of Excellence under Willoughby’s care.
Some major projects and programs Willoughby has worked on over the years include the ARTS program, Murals and Community Gardens Program, a Noborigama Wood-Fired Kiln, the Collingswood facility, Arts & Environment Residencies, Eco Plaza, Empty Bowls and a Preservation Plan for the Moorestown facility.
The ARTS program allows the PCA to team with local schools and provide artist-in-school residencies for 240 days. Empty Bowls feeds the body and soul by having students and artists paint bowls to sell each year at a soup fundraiser, with funds supporting the Food Bank of South Jersey and the Scholarship Fund at PCA. The Preservation Plan will guide long-term stewardship of the historic main house and carriage house at Perkins in Moorestown.
Willoughby feels PCA is a way to connect the community through art. Through all of these programs and more, he has done so.
“One of the things I love about Perkins and things I’ve tried to continue to grow is that connection to people and the community,” he said.
Willoughby chose to resign to spend more time on his work as a ceramics artist. He feels he has developed new skills and ways at looking at things in his position that he would like to bring into his own work.
The Board of Trustees decided an interim executive director would be appropriate, especially one from within PCA who knew the center, and asked Chigounis to step in.
Chigounis holds a bachelor’s of fine arts degree, a teacher certification and a master’s of science degree in arts and cultural management. Chigounis was teaching for years and working in administration at other venues before applying for her previous position with PCA. She has been with PCA for more than 10 years.
“It was a perfect marriage for me, of working in administration with a serious focus in arts education and also working as a curator in Collingswood,” she said.
Chigounis has played a major part in the ARTS program and incorporating art in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics initiatives at schools as well as helping with the curation of the Collingswood location.
The plan is to have Chigounis be interim over the next two years, but she, too, plans on retiring soon. Along with Willoughby, she believes the new generation would be a valuable asset to PCA and would like to pass the torch on to it.
“I am sure that PCA will continue to grow and evolve, bringing in new voices. There is a foundation (set), as a program, when I came that is still here, but I’ve also helped to nurture and grow (PCA). Since then, there has been a lot of change … and who knows what will happen in the future?” Willoughby said.
“I hope PCA continues to be a resource for the community and (that we) find resources in the community to help us move forward. I’d also love … to help to respond to needs while keeping the PCA’s integrity and bringing arts to the community,” Chigounis said.
Willoughby plans to continue to be involved in the arts community in South Jersey. To see his artwork, visit www.shustermanwilloughby.com/.
For more information on PCA, visit perkinsarts.org.
