Ben Cameron will open the 2012 EdTA Conference

Ben Cameron will be the opening keynote speaker at the 2012 Educational Theatre Association’s Conference in San Diego, September 20-23. The program director for the arts at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in New York City, Cameron is one of America’s most outspoken and influential arts advocates, known for his dynamic and compelling presentations on the value of the arts. (His TED talk can be viewed here). In his role at the Duke Foundation, Cameron supervises a $13 million grants program focusing on organizations and artists in the theatre, contemporary dance, jazz, and other presenting fields. This past September, the foundation’s board approved an additional $50 million for the arts budget to support an innovative set of initiatives offering artists fellowships and residencies.

Previously, Cameron was the executive director of Theatre Communications Group, the national service organization for the American nonprofit professional theatre, significantly expanding its programs, membership base, and grantmaking activities. Prior to that, he was the manager of community relations for Target Stores (supervising its grantmaking program) and director of the theatre program at the National Endowment for the Arts. Cameron has also served on a number of nonprofit boards, including the National Arts and Business Council, American Arts Alliance, and Grantmakers in the Arts. He holds an M.F.A. degree from the Yale School of Drama, has received honorary degrees from DePaul University in Chicago and American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, and was on the Tony Award nominating committee for six years. In January 2012, he was the recipient of the Sidney Yates award from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, given in recognition of outstanding advocacy, following previous recipients Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi, and Louise Slaughter, among others.

Cameron had this to say about his upcoming keynote at the EdTA Conference: “I began my professional career as a high school English and drama teacher in Virginia in the 1970s. I have infinite respect and gratitude for those who continue to work in those fields, especially in light of the pressures students face today and that teachers confront. The arts are fundamental to our society and critical for us to nurture if we wish to survive as a civic and civil society. I look forward to my time with all of you.”

Diane Carr, EdTA director of chapter relations and conference chair, said the naming of Cameron as a keynote speaker was a “real step forward for us and gives us the opportunity to take our conference to another level. Cameron is very special—he’s an important national voice in the new call for innovation and creativity in arts and education, and we fully expect him to challenge and inspire our teachers. It will be a great way to kick off the event.” Carr urged members to regularly check the EdTA website for conference updates, adding that she expects registration materials to be available in early February.