One month in, Christine Davis-Jeffers ponders new position
By Dana DuGan
Christine Davis-Jeffers is just completing her first full month at the helm of the Sun Valley Center for the Arts. As the new executive director, Davis-Jeffers, who’s worked at The Center for more than three years, stresses the importance in arts education in the work accomplished by the Ketchum-based 501(c)(3) organization. To that end, the Sun Valley Wine Auction weekend finished with a bang, raising about $1.4 million to support arts education in the Wood River Valley.
The participation of all the guests in the room at the Gala Auction on Friday night was “moving to see. People understand the value of art,” Davis-Jeffers said. “I know how important that night is, though it’s sometimes hard to get that across to the community. But without the auction being successful, we can’t serve our community the way we want to.”
As one of the biggest fundraisers in the area, the money stays entirely in the Valley, Davis-Jeffers said. “We spend approximately $1 million on arts in the schools, through our K through 12 programs.”
Those programs are integral to The Center’s strategic plan that recognizes that arts education “develops creativity, one of the top skills employers prize in the 21st century,” according to a 2008 Americans for the Arts study.
“I’m focused on the strategic plan and accomplishing the goals we’ve set for ourselves,” Davis-Jeffers said. “I’m completely committed to this community and my work at The Center because I believe it makes this community a better place to live. We offer arts and culture year-round.”
Davis-Jeffers said her move from running the Wine Auction, to working in development, to being the interim chief operating officer since November 2015, to executive director in three years, was relatively smooth. She worked previously as a marketing manager at Smith Sport Optics for 12 years.
“It was a great company to work for,” she said. “It’s one of the reasons I could do this. I have a great set of skills that I learned over the years.”
Supporting her on the home front is her “very supportive husband,” Tyler, and three daughters 11, 9, and six years old. As well, her parents are here from Chicago.
“They say ‘their number one job is to help out,’” she laughed.
At home and at work, people who’re good at their jobs surround Davis-Jeffers.
The Sun Valley Center Wine Auction has many moving parts and events, and everyone is on hand to help.
“This staff is incredible,” she said. “You can see that coming out of the Wine Auction. We couldn’t be successful without everyone stepping up outside of their normal job descriptions. Also, our board is fully committed to this organization and our mission.
“We want to provide transformative experiences,” she said.
Davis-Jeffers is an organized and focused person who understands the weight of her new position.
“It’s a bit of a public service,” she said. “It’s an important job in this community.
I was encouraged by both staff and board. We wanted to make sure it was a good fit.
Much of my role will be around fundraising and leading our organization forward.”
In the near future, there won’t be obvious changes at The Center. Davis-Jeffers, the board and staff are “looking deeply at facilities, collaborative opportunities, sustainability in a big way, ways of being more nimble with the big show,” such as the current Craters of the Moon exhibit with Seattle artist John Grade.
“Our focus is to provide quality programming – we’re unwavering. And we want to put Ketchum and Sun Valley on the map for arts, which we know is an economic driver.”
Coming up this week The Center continues its busy summer with the legendary singer Mavis Staples at River Run on Friday, July 29, and the Sun Valley Center Arts & Crafts Festival will be Aug. 12-14 at Atkinson Park in Ketchum. New this year is a Sip & Stroll on the festival’s opening night starting at 5 p.m. with music by the Andrew Sheppard Band.
Though they are not moneymakers, Davis-Jeffers says The Center remains committed to the concerts for the time being.
“We think of it as a community gathering opportunity and we want to keep music alive in the Valley.”
Can we have an ‘amen’?
