Fouratt to Move to N.J. Council on the Arts

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By Joseph Sapia
RED BANK – Monmouth Arts is looking to make a seamless transition as its longtime executive director, Mary Eileen Fouratt, moves on to take a job with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
“I’m going to be working with arts groups statewide, a lot of grant administration,” said Fouratt, speaking of her new job as a program associate with the council. “They had posted the job. I saw the opportunity. And I thought it would be interesting and exciting.”
The New Jersey Council on the Arts is the arts advocacy branch of the Secretary of State’s Office.
Kathy Donnelly, chair of the Monmouth Arts Board of Trustees, said the “it’s a win-win” for Fouratt, a Shrewsbury resident, and the council. However, Fouratt will be greatly missed at Monmouth Arts, the Red Bank-based nonprofit arts advocacy group.
“She is one of those absolute treasures,” said Donnelly, who lives in Middletown. “The state is gaining so much.”
Fouratt has been with Monmouth Arts since 1997– the first two years as community arts director and, in 1999, becoming its executive director as Monmouth Arts and Count Basie Theatre separated into two nonprofits. Her last day on the job is Sept. 18, the day before she starts at the council.
Monmouth Arts has formed an executive director search committee, led by Board of Trustees member Richard Murphy, and hopes to fill the job by Jan. 1, Donnelly said. The search committee was to begin meeting this week, including figuring out specifics for the executive director’s job.
“We’re looking for somebody who’s probably in New Jersey,” Donnelly said. “I think it’s an easier transition.”
In the interim, Patricia Hassenkamp, Monmouth Arts’ financial director of 18 years, will run the group. Hassenkamp, of Middletown, said she is not applying for the executive director’s position – her background being financial, the executive director’s job involving more networking.
“Mary Eileen and I worked together a long time,” Hassenkamp said. “With the staff we have, things should run smoothly (in the transition).”
Fouratt said she found out she got the new job at the end of July. Monmouth Arts announced her leaving the organization Friday, Aug. 19.
“I’m happy for her because she’s a tremendous talent and somebody (at) the state recognized that,” said Lillian G. Burry, a member of the county Board of Freeholders who is liaison to Monmouth Arts. “She’s a person with imagination and drive. She knows how to get things done. A great sensitivity to the arts.”
“It’s a difficult decision (to leave Monmouth Arts),” Fouratt said. “We built it up when we separated from Count Basie. It’ll be hard to walk away. (But) I know it’s in good hands.”
Fouratt said she thought about staying at Monmouth Arts, but the new job provides an opportunity for her to expand statewide.
Monmouth Arts has an annual operating budget of about $500,000, funded by the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, grants and donations. It has been designated the county’s official arts organization.
While Fouratt paints in watercolors, she said, “I would not call myself an artist.” She said her background was more in educational programming and museum work – having held previous jobs at the Monmouth County Historical Association, Monmouth Museum and Monmouth County Park System’s Longstreet Farm. She is married with three adult children.
Fouratt’s last two days on the job, Sept. 17 and 18, will correspond with Monmouth Arts’ co-sponsoring the Zero Waste Arts Fest at Sandy Hook. The festival combining art, environmentalism and history will include artists displaying work made of debris found at Sandy Hook.
“She does so much under the radar,” Donnelly said. “I loved working with her. She’s going to be missed.”
“I will always be a huge supporter of Monmouth Arts,” Fouratt said. “Monmouth County is so rich in the arts, artists. There’s so many creative businesses. It’s been my pleasure to work with these creative people.”
For information on the executive director position or Monmouth Arts contact monmoutharts.org or 732-212-1890.