April Cameron Finds Directing the Anderson Arts Center a Perfect Fit
Because she is not an artist herself, April Cameron was initially hesitant about taking over as executive director of the Anderson Arts Center (AAC), a position she has held for about a year now. But it turned out to be a perfect match. With her background at nonprofit organizations and in fundraising, the position ended up being a really good fit. “I love it,” she said. “It’s one of my favorite jobs I’ve ever had.”
A Georgia native, Cameron grew up about 60 miles from Savannah in the small town of Metter. She has a communications degree from Georgia Southern University, from which she was intending to launch a career in broadcasting. “But after a couple of speech classes, I realized my Southern accent was so heavy that it would take an awful lot of work so I would not talk like this on TV,” she said. So she veered into an emphasis in public relations.
After graduation, an internship at her sorority’s Atlanta headquarters turned into a year-long job that involved writing and editing a quarterly magazine. That led to other positions in hospital marketing and public relations and at an advertising agency. She moved to Anderson in 2005 when her husband got a job with Ryobi.
In Anderson, she worked in marketing for Meals on Wheels and the United Way, where she led a teen pregnancy prevention program. She also worked as a freelance writer for Electric City News and started Anderson Magazine, which she continues to publish. “It’s kind of my hobby, a big, giant hobby,” she said. “I love magazine production.” She also served two years on the board of the AAC.
Among the new activities at the AAC are afterschool art classes for children and Brunch and Brushes, a plein air painting opportunity at Sol Flowers. The annual auction has been moved to August and will be more casual than in the past. A textile show is planned for 2020, and next year’s juried show is scheduled for April 3.
Artists interested in teaching a children’s art class or who would like to showcase their work in the atrium or in the gallery should submit a proposal or contact Cameron at the AAC.
