He will help the nonprofit oversee the city of Fort Worth’s public art program, distribute grants and manage the Fort Worth Community Arts Center at 1300 Gendy St.
Background
Gentle previously worked for the Fort Worth Opera and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. He was a performing artist prior to joining Arts Fort Worth in 2018. He has degrees from Texas Christian University and the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
There was a national search conducted, but he was chosen to replace Karen Wiley, who was the CEO and president for seven years. She retired in April 2022.
What you need to know
The nonprofit was founded in 1963 as the Arts Council of Fort Worth and Tarrant County. The program is run through donations as well as funding from the city of Fort Worth, Tarrant County and the Texas Commission on the Arts, according to its website. This year marks the organization's 60th anniversary.
What they’re saying
“When everyone in Fort Worth has the resources, opportunities and empowerment to share their stories through art, and when everyone here can see part of their own story reflected in the art around them, then Arts Fort Worth has succeeded in our mission,” Gentle said in the news release. “Fort Worth is a big city. We’ve got some work to do, but our organization has a long history of changing our city for the better, and I know this community is filled with amazing people who are ready to partner with us to see that vision through.”
