The membership of the Vermont Arts Council elected five Trustees at its Annual Meeting at the Vermont State House. Pennie Beach of Vergennes, Carlos Haase of Montpelier and Stephanie Jerome of Brandon joined the board for their first three-year term. Caro Thompson of Walden and Greg Worden of Brattleboro were nominated for their second three-year terms. In addition, Rob Mermin of Montpelier was recently appointed to fill a vacant one-year term.
“We are happy to welcome such a strong and diverse group to our board. It is their perspective, expertise and ideas that keep us, as an organization, constantly growing and adapting to our circumstances,” said Alex Aldrich, the Arts Council’s executive director. “Their energy, passion, and commitment allows us to continue to advance and preserve the arts at the center of Vermont communities.”
Pennie Beach grew up at Basin Harbor Club, a summer resort on Lake Champlain, owned and operated by her family since 1886. Pennie and her brother, Bob Beach, Jr., assumed control of the resort operations in 1990 and are the fourth generation to manage the business.
Born in Mexico City, Carlos Haase has worked for various non-profits in Vermont, from Montpelier’s Green Mountain Film Festival to, most recently, Burlington’s South End Arts and Business Association (SEABA), best known for organizing the South End Art Hop. "Art has been constantly present throughout my life,” said Haase. “It is my pleasure to join the board of the Vermont Arts Council, and I look forward to fostering our state’s art culture as a board member."
Stephanie Jerome is the co-owner of the Visual Learning Company, producers and distributors of high-quality, science videos and teacher’s guides. She and her husband also renovated a circa 1900 building into a studio space for artists.
The arts have been a core component of Caro Thompson’s life since childhood. As an independent producer and filmmaker, Caro has been capturing the spirit, history and rural activities of Vermont and New England. Her most recent documentary, Champlain: The Lake Between, garnered a Boston/New England Emmy award for historical/cultural documentary.
For the past 20 years, Greg Worden has owned and operated Vermont Artisan Designs & Gallery 2 which has provided a place for hundreds of craftspeople and artists to show and sell their works. He was a founding member of Brattleboro’s monthly Gallery Walk, Building a Better Brattleboro and the Creative Communities Council of Windham County. Rob Mermin ran off to join the circus in 1969 and travelled the world as juggler, clown and mime. He is Founder and Director Emeritus of the award-winning international touring company Circus Smirkus.
Since 1964, the Vermont Arts Council has been the state’s primary provider of funding, advocacy and information for the arts in Vermont. It strives to increase public awareness of the positive role artists and arts organizations play in communities and to increase opportunities for Vermonters to experience the arts in everyday life. The Council is the only designated State Arts Agency in the U.S. that is also an independent, not-for-profit, membership organization. For more information on the programs and services of the Vermont Arts Council, visit www.vermontartscouncil.org
