Martino resigns as Artsbridge director
By WAYNE TOWNER, wtowner@newsandsentinel.comPARKERSBURG - After four-and-a-half years, Pamela Martino is resigning as director of Artsbridge to take a position with the American Red Cross in Athens, Ohio.
Martino became director of the arts service agency, which provides services and programs in Wood and Washington counties, in January 2004. She is resigning effective July 15 to move to Athens to become executive director of the Red Cross of Athens County.
Prior to coming to Parkersburg, Martino had worked as director of the Non-profit Management Program at Salem International University in Salem, W.Va., as president of the Harrison Arts Council in West Virginia, as secretary of the Harrison County United Way and as fund-raising coordinator at Clarksburg's United Hospital.
"It's something I think I'm going to like doing," Martino said of her new position. "I like service, and I think it will be providing very much of a hands-on service to the community. Whereas this job (Artsbridge) provided a value, but not necessary that hands-on kind of service that the Red Cross provides," she said.
Looking back at her time with Artsbridge, Martino said there are a number of things she is proud of. One of those was the reintroduction of the Special Project Pool Grant, which had lapsed in previous years. It focuses on helping individual artists in special, creative, innovative projects.
She also worked to broaden the scope of what Artsbridge was doing artistically in the community through new types of projects. One example was the "Heart of Art is Healing," which integrated the arts and health care facilities. Another was the creation of the "Labyrinth Project: Walking One Path Together," which tied together the arts and spirituality in a different way. The first program was funded by the state of West Virginia and the Sisters of St. Joseph Charitable Fund, while the labyrinth program was funded by the charitable fund.
"The most important thing Artsbridge does is we infuse the community with arts wherever we see they are needed and the other critical thing is everything we do is free to anyone who choses to participate. We also take our programs into the schools," she said.
Martino said teachers have repeatedly told Artsbridge that if it were not for the programs and artists the agency works to bring into local schools for special programs and events, many students might not have art in their lives.
When Martino departs, Gerri Torres will serve as the interim director for Artsbridge while the agency's board of directors begins its search, led by search committee chairman Ron Jalbert.
Torres has been serving as the agency's arts education director for 11 years.
"We want to maintain everything Pam, and her predecessors, have accomplished," Torres said, "particularly I think - and this I credit Pam with - this widening of the vision of the arts fit in to community life."
Artsbridge will continue to expand its reach into all community segments, Torres said. The agency will also continue another of its main goals, to support smaller arts agencies in the community through fundraising.
"We appreciate what Pam has done in the time she's been here, and we're going to miss her, but we wish her well," she said.
