Today we’d like to introduce you to Phillip Dunlap.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in Iowa with parents that required participation in the Arts. After high school, I studied jazz piano at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, earning a bachelor’s degree in jazz piano, a bachelor’s degree in music theory and composition, and a Masters degree in jazz piano. After my university studies, I worked for 12 years as Director of Education and Community Engagement at a nonprofit organization in St. Louis, MO called Jazz St. Louis, I was also teaching Music Business and entrepreneurship at the University of Missouri, St. Louis and Webster University, and playing regularly as a musician.
During that time, started to be involved in arts advocacy, eventually becoming President of Missouri Citizens for the Arts (this was a volunteer position and I was still employed with Jazz St. Louis) and I did a fair amount of cultural diplomacy work with the US State Department, traveling to Guyana, Afghanistan, and Thailand.
My work on the governmental/public side of the arts made me interested in running a government arts agency, so I started looking for those opportunities, which landed me in Broward County where I am currently Director of Cultural Affairs.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has certainly had its fair share of bumps, disappointments, and failures, but none of them are notable. How you respond to (and move beyond) those challenges are what makes one resilient. Overall I have had a consistent upward trajectory in my career, so despite challenges, the overall road has been smooth.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work is multi-faceted, all within the arts. As Director of Cultural Affairs for Broward County, I am the chief arts advisor to the County Administrator and the County Commission. I oversee a team that is responsible for the growth and development of our cultural ecosystem. Just like there is a team that thinks about County-wide transportation strategies and advises the Commission on transportation-related public policy, I do the same for arts and culture. The Commission believes a strong cultural sector is a part of a healthy and thriving community and we think about what policies and initiatives will contribute to the sectors growth and stability. Those programs and initiatives include things like cultural planning and placemaking, public art and urban design, grantmaking and sponsorship programs that support cultural events and artists, capacity building programs that support the development of our artists and cultural organizations, and so much more.
Although I don’t teach and perform as much as I used to, I still do perform a few concerts a year and I try and keep my piano play in top shape, although sometimes that is easier said than done. I also teach a course at NSU on Arts Administration where I work with students on building careers in the arts.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Although I work for Broward County (and there are 31 cities in Broward) I live in Fort Lauderdale. I like the energy of the city and I love seeing visitors being excited to come here. One of the things I like least about the City (and south Florida in general) is the prioritization of cars and the lack of public transportation infrastructure. I’d love to live in a city where I didn’t need a car and unfortunately, this is not that place.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.broward.org/arts
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-dunlap-9a02491a
Image Credits
Photo at piano – RJ Hartbeck
State of the Arts photo – Deyson Rodriguez
