During their latest meeting on March 7th, 2023, the Nebraska Arts Council chose Mike Markey to lead the agency as the new executive director. He will immediately take over the position that has been vacant since January, after the retirement of former executive director, Suzanne Wise.
Markey becomes just the seventh executive director of the Arts Council, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023. Markey began working with the Arts Council in 2009 as the arts industry manager. He was made grants manger in 2013, deputy director in 2015, and has been serving as interim director since January.
Prior to working with the Arts Council, Markey served as the managing director of the Nebraska Shakespeare Festival for 18 years. Before that he was one of the founding members of Omaha’s Circle Theatre.
Markey is an actor and director with professional experience in film and on stage. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Management from Florida State University and a Master’s degree in People’s Theatre from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.