The Power of Community -  Host Committee

Dr. Jackie Viskup currently serves as the Community Arts and Arts Facilities Program Manager for the Alabama State Council on the Arts. In this capacity she advises and manages grant funding for programs, administration, and art facilities across the 67 counties in Alabama. She also collaborates on planning and implementation of Council programs such as the Bill Bates Leadership Institute and is the director of the bi-annual Celebration of Alabama Arts event, an awards program that honors artists who have made significant contributions to the arts and their communities. Dr. Viskup holds a PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies from University of California, Santa Barbara. Her artistic practice focuses on community engagement and education through the performing arts. Individually and through her theatre company, Raw Materials Theatre, Dr. Viskup works with professional and amateur artists to create performance events that speak to community issues. Previous works have dealt with relationship abuse, workers’ rights, immigration, war, and mental health. She is currently facilitating a National Endowment for the Arts Creative Forces grant-funded project with military veterans, using performance and creative writing to communicate their experiences of service and war.