» About
Intermedia Arts Announces Julie Bates New Associate Director

Intermedia Arts is proud to announce Julie Bates as the new Associate Director. For four years, Bates has been an outstanding leader at Intermedia Arts. As Literary Programs Manager, she has managed the highly successful literary and spoken word programs that became a part of Intermedia Arts as a result of its merger with SASE: The Write Place in 2006. She has led the development of new programs and has helped to integrate the literary arts into Intermedia Arts. Ms. Bates has also played a key role in developing Intermedia Arts editorial voice in print and online, and has helped to strengthen the organization administratively.

Under her leadership, Intermedia Arts’ literary programs have seen increases in program participation, numbers of artists served, and earned revenue. In addition to managing Intermedia Arts’ literary programs, this past year Bates was responsible for the visioning and project management of The America Project: Singing the Legacy of Sekou Sundiata, which was the national premiere of a multi-disciplinary series of events and dialogues around citizenry and civic engagement. She currently leads a new 15-moth partnership with Hennepin Country Libraries in which Intermedia Arts is providing more than 60 youth workshops in libraries across Hennepin County, and ongoing trainings around community arts and creative leadership for library staff. Bates recently completed the successful re-design and launch of Intermedia’s new website, visual aesthetic and identity; and worked collaboratively to oversee the creation of Intermedia’s exciting new series of CHANGEMAKER artist profiles.

Theresa Sweetland, Executive/Artistic Director says, “Julie is imaginative, results-oriented and her commitment to constant improvement in herself and others is a source of inspiration. She has been instrumental in rebuilding Intermedia Arts’ organizational strength and vitality over the last year. Her belief in the power of the arts to tell untold stories and bring people together is infectious. I am proud to recognize her for her dedication, drive and influence.”

As Associate Director, Bates will continue to spend the majority of her time on program management, with specific focus on literary programming and Creative Leadership & Artistic Development programming, including the SASE Jerome Grants for Writers, VERVE grants for Spoken Word Poets, the Queer Voices Reading Series, creative writing mentorships for youth, and the organization’s educational residencies and artist roster programs. This fall, Bates is very excited to announce the re-launch of the popular literary reading series Color Theory for the 21st Century: Readings by Writers of Color. In addition, Bates will support Executive/Artistic Director Theresa Sweetland to direct the day-to-day operation of the organization’s programs, events, and administration, and will continue to manage the organization’s marketing and communications activities.

Bates anticipates her new role as Associate Director: “Intermedia Arts is an amazing home for my passions, ideals, and abilities. The more deeply connected I am to this organization, the more deeply rooted I am in my community. I get to work with incredible artists and leaders every day, and the learning never stops. I continue to be guided and mentored by so many people in this community. I look forward to digging into all of it even more deeply as Associate Director, continuing to manage programs while working closely with Executive/Artistic Director Theresa Sweetland to explore our mission of creating art for social change and to discover fresh new ways to connect and collaborate with the artists, educators, youth, participants and creative leaders we serve.”

 

Julie Bates is a Twin Cities writer and spoken word poet with a passion for community arts administration. Ms. Bates is a former Program Director for the MN Spoken Word Association, and has extensive experience teaching creative writing and performance poetry to young artists. She co-coached Minnesota’s 2006 Youth Slam team, which competed in the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam in New York City; and was a resident artist at North Minneapolis’ Avenues for Homeless Youth as part of the documentary project The Sheltering Home Chronicles, along with spoken word artists e.g. Bailey, Shá Cage, Truthmaze and photographer Wing Young Huie. Ms. Bates has written for The Rake magazine. She studied creative writing at Metropolitan State University with award-winning author Alison McGhee. In 2008, Ms. Bates was awarded a Joyce Grant by Americans for the Arts’ Professional Development Fund for Emerging Leaders of Color.