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Judith Thomas will exit her role as Indianapolis deputy mayor of neighborhood engagement to become the next CEO of Indy Arts Council.
A former president of the Madam Walker Legacy Center and director of convention services at Visit Indy, Thomas will begin her tenure as leader of Indy Arts Council in mid-April.
“The opportunity to lead an organization so deeply embedded in the cultural and creative fabric of Indianapolis aligns perfectly with my passion, vision and lifelong commitment to empowering communities through the arts,” Thomas said in a written statement issued Friday. “The arts tell the story of a people—a city, a state, a community. It is crucial that all voices and creatives are heard, seen and celebrated.”
Thomas will succeed Julie Goodman, who resigned from the Indy Arts Council CEO role in November. Goodman presently serves as chief advancement officer for entertainment venue the Cabaret, 924 N. Pennsylvania St.
The Cabaret shares a building with Indy Arts Council’s offices.
The Indy Arts Council oversees the city’s public art initiatives, the Indianapolis Artsgarden and Gallery 924.
The final months of Goodman’s tenure included a quest for a line-item increase for the Indy Arts Council in the proposed city budget.
After Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration suggested flat-lining arts funding for 2025 at $1.3 million (with an additional $250,000 kicked in by the Marion County Capital Improvement Board), the Indy Arts Council pushed for funding to rise to the $3 million allocation of 20 years ago.
Ultimately, the city came up with a funding package that totals $2.3 million, with $1.3 million coming from the city budget and an additional $500,000 each coming from the CIB and the Indianapolis Bond Bank.
In her deputy mayor role that began in 2021, Thomas oversaw Indianapolis Parks and Recreation as well as the Offices of Minority and Business Development, International and Latino Affairs and Veterans Affairs.
Thomas has her own strategic planning business, Judith & Co. She served as president of the Madam Walker Legacy Center from 2018-2020 and as director of convention services for Visit Indy from 2005-2018.
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Congratulations! I’m sure she is going to a great for the city of Indianapolis