The Truckee Arts Alliance, a fiscally sponsored project of Nevada County Arts Council, is pleased to announce that Mark Salinas has been named its new administrator. Salinas brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in public, private, and nonprofit sectors in urban and rural communities.

“We are truly excited for Mark to provide both much needed administrative support and leadership,” said Lauren O’Brien, Truckee Arts Alliance’s co-founder. “He possesses a unique range of strategic and policy expertise and substantial experience advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts.”

Cassie Hebel, of Truckee Arts Alliance’s Advisory, says, “We ran an inclusive search and received compelling applications from far and wide. Out of an eligible pool of close to forty applications, we interviewed some truly wonderful candidates. Mark stood out for his local knowledge, his strong background in public art, his coalition building experience and this willingness to pitch in.”

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Mark has served the creative economy in leadership roles in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, and as a creative and managerial contributor to the museum, gallery, fashion, film, and theater industries for over 25 years. As founding Director of Arts & Culture for Carson City, Nevada, he authored public art policy; administered state and federal grants; curated a new municipal art collection; and spearheaded the City’s cultural equity objectives.

His endeavors in equity have been recognized on state and national levels and in 2019 the Nevada Humanities, a state council affiliated with the National Endowment for the Humanities, honored his cross-sector inclusion efforts with their Rising Star Award.

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Mark is originally from New York City where he founded a commercial fabrication business and a community nonprofit arts organization, and worked on public art commissions by the Times Square Arts Alliance, the NYC Department of Design and Construction, the NYC Department of Transportation, the Historic House Trust of NYC, and the Tahoe Fund.

He holds degrees in Sculpture, Fashion Design and Tailoring, and his artist residencies have taken him from the US to Europe. Mark currently serves as a board member for Art Spot Reno, the City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission, the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, the Nevada Arts Council, and Americans for the Arts Public Art Network Advisory Council.

Eliza Tudor, Executive Director at Nevada County Arts Council, says of Truckee Arts Alliance’s new recruit, “Mark is an exceptional addition to our Alliance team. At a time when it has never been more important to leverage important state designations such as our two California Cultural Districts in Nevada County, Mark will be supporting our work with multiple partners and stakeholders, including the Town of Truckee, Truckee Chamber and Truckee Downtown Merchants Association, as well as state level stakeholders, such as the California Arts Council and our own Eastern Nevada County arts organizations and creative scene. Together, we will embrace a multi-sector approach to post-pandemic economic and social recovery.”

“I am honored to work with the Nevada County Arts Council and the Truckee Arts Alliance in promoting, elevating, and amplifying the creative talents and interests of our artists and partners to showcase how the arts serve as a cornerstone to community development,“ said Mark Salinas.

Truckee Arts Alliance inspires, catalyzes and advocates for art and culture in Truckee and Eastern Nevada County. It engages the Truckee arts community as one sound “voice” for the arts and supports the work of Truckee Cultural District under the California Cultural District Program.