ACOKC Announces Angela Cozby as new Executive Director

The board of directors of Arts Council Oklahoma City (ACOKC) has named Angela Cozby its new executive director, replacing its longtime leader Peter Dolese, who announced his retirement in December. Dolese will continue in a consulting role through part of 2023. “After an exhaustive search, we are pleased to announce that Angela Cozby has accepted the position,” said ACOKC Board President Brian Alford. “Finding the right person was crucial. Arts Council Oklahoma City has been a beloved part of the fabric of Oklahoma’s arts community for more than half a century, and Peter has been a part of ACOKC for more than 40 years. He has dedicated his career to bringing the arts to Oklahomans, and we are so grateful for everything he’s done.” Cozby’s most recent post was serving as vice president of research and operations for the Lynn Institute for Healthcare Research. Prior to that, she worked in various capacities for ACOKC, including serving as director of its signature event, Festival of the Arts, from 2008 – 2014. “For more than 50 years, Arts Council Oklahoma City has been enriching lives through its mission of bringing the arts and the community together by producing impeccable art events and placing professional teaching artists in our schools and senior living facilities. Under the leadership of Peter Dolese, the organization has grown and thrived. It is my honor to continue that tradition alongside a conscientious board, a talented staff, and dedicated volunteers as we work together to enhance the local arts culture for all residents and visitors of Oklahoma City,” Cozby said Dolese leaves an impressive legacy. After 13 years as executive director and some 40 years spent as a volunteer and staff member at ACOKC, Dolese’s love of the arts and the thousands of volunteers who bring them to life in Oklahoma City has only grown. For him, regularly connecting people in the community with the arts, especially downtown, is a passion. He launched Art Moves in 2011 to showcase artists in downtown venues each weekday. Also under his leadership Festival of the Arts, which began in 1967, has grown exponentially, attracting more than 750,000 people each year to downtown. “Angela Cozby will be a brilliant executive director,” Dolese said. “I can’t think of a more qualified or better person for the job than Angela. Her dedication to, and deep understanding of, Arts Council Oklahoma City are qualities that will help her take the organization to the next level while still retaining the deeply rooted culture of voluntarism and community arts programming that are at the core of what we do.”