Quad City Arts names Ben Gougeon new Executive Director

Quad City Arts has a new Executive Director.

The organization’s Board of Directors announced that Ben Gougeon will be the next Executive Director, effective August 10. He has over 30 years of experience working in the arts as a theatre and film artist and in leadership and administrative positions with nonprofit organizations in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and New York. His professional background includes management roles in the hospitality and retail industries, offering experience in operations, customer service and team leadership.

The Quad City Arts Board of Directors began its search for the organization’s next Executive Director on May 21. The search was led by the Board’s Executive Director Search Committee and included outreach to qualified candidates, interviews and evaluation to identify a leader with the necessary experience, vision and collaborative approach.

“Throughout this search, our Board remained focused on finding the right leader for Quad City Arts—someone who shares our commitment to artists, education, and community partnerships,” said Jenni Swanson, President of the Quad City Arts Board of Directors. “We are excited to welcome Ben as our next Executive Director and are confident he will build upon the strong foundation created by our staff, volunteers, board members, artists, donors, and community partners. Together, we look forward to expanding opportunities for the arts and continuing to serve the Quad Cities with creativity, collaboration and excellence.”

“Quad City Arts has a remarkable history of connecting people through creativity and strengthening our communities through the arts,” said Gougeon. “In my previous role, I loved being able to serve as a connector and create partnerships with the many organizations doing necessary work throughout our region. I look forward to continuing to work alongside our talented staff, dedicated board members, artists, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and community partners to expand access to the arts and build upon the organization’s strong foundation. Together, we have an exciting opportunity to strengthen the impact of the arts throughout the Quad Cities for years to come.”

Gougeon served as Events Coordinator and Director of Community Engagement at Quad City Arts before being appointed to the new position. He oversaw the Visiting Artist Series, Chalk Art Fest, Riverssance Festival of Fine Art, Metro Arts Youth Apprenticeship Program, Arts Dollars Grant program and public art initiatives, including the upcoming Tapestry installation in downtown Moline. He hosted Talking Art, where he helped share the stories of artists, arts organizations and creative work happening in the area.

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