Amy Nesbitt Named Director at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

Amy Nesbitt has been named director of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, according to a May 16 announcement from Scottsdale Arts. Nesbitt will begin her new position in August.

Formerly known as Scottsdale Cultural Council, Scottsdale Arts is a nonprofit organization founded in 1987 that oversees Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, and Scottsdale Public Art.

Nesbitt will lead the programming team at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and curate its offerings in music, dance, theater, comedy, film, and family events. Nesbitt is assuming the programming duties of the Center’s former director, Ally Haynes-Hamblen, who was named director of cultural affairs for the City of Las Vegas earlier this year.

“Amy Nesbitt brings exceptional qualifications and experience to Scottsdale Arts,” says Neale Perl, president and CEO of Scottsdale Arts, in the announcement. “Her deep knowledge of the performing arts, strong management skills, and collaborative approach will be great assets to our organization."

Nesbitt currently serves as the executive and artistic director of the annual Ann Arbor Summer Festival (A2SF) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she handles all aspects of artistic programming, event planning, and executive management.

“Scottsdale Arts offers remarkable creative and collaborative opportunities across many artistic disciplines,” Nesbitt says in the announcement. “I’m excited to join their excellent team and to share new performing arts experiences – from renowned marquee artists to emerging talents – with this dynamic community.”

Before working with A2SF, Nesbitt spent seven years at Fleming Artists agency, where she worked closely with a diverse roster of performers and presenters.

Nesbitt holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from Syracuse University, and studied at Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan.

She has worked extensively in video and film production in San Francisco and New Orleans. She won the 1997 New Orleans Film Festival’s Lumiere Award for “Best New Louisiana Filmmaker,” as well as the 1995 New Orleans Shorts Festival.

In 1993 Nesbitt founded and operated Video Veracity Inc. in New Orleans, a nonprofit organization that supports the work of independent media producers in that city and the surrounding region.

"We look forward to working with Amy, and to an exciting and inspiring new season at the Center," Perl says.