Today we’d like to introduce you to Joan Rossini.
Hi Joan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Originally from Philadelphia, I have been working in the nonprofit sector for over twenty-three years. I currently serve as the Director of The City of Clemson Arts Center, a department of the city of Clemson. I have served as the Executive Director for the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles and the Bay Area Glass Institute. I have started multiple programs aimed at advancing arts and culture in the Philadelphia, San Jose, and the Upstate of South Carolina communities. I earned a MPS in Arts and Cultural Management from Pratt Institute, a BFA in Photography from the University of the Arts and a Certificate in Creative Placemaking from New England College.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Running an arts organization has never been a simple path. The work is important, but the road can be tough. Funding is unpredictable, community needs constantly shift, and every day required navigating a wide range of personalities inside the nonprofit and across the community.
Brining money into the organizations became my number one job, and it was far from easy. As a young executive director, I was thrown straight into the fire. I made mistakes. I learned on the fly. And I quickly realized that many essential parts of this work were not taught in graduate school.
My career has been shaped by a steep learning curve. Although the challenges were real, so was my growth as a leader. I had great mentors, built up my resilience, and every success reaffirmed why I do this work.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in leading a community arts program for the City of Clemson that serves people from age three through adulthood. Our programming includes classes and workshops led by teaching artists, free events, public art initiatives, and arts and health programming. I focus on creating accessible, inclusive, and joyful creative experiences that strengthen community wellbeing.
In 2023, in partnership with Clemson Downs Senior Living Facility, we launched a memory Loss and Art program. This program is the first of its kind in South Carolina.
The program currently reaches about twenty residents, each invited to participate in ways that they feel comfortable. Sessions are designed to meet people where they are. Because the artists are in residence go every week they build trust, continuity, and genuine relationships with residents and staff. Families have mentioned noticing meaningful shifts in their loved ones.
This program is more than an activity it is; it is a model for creative aging in South Carolina. We offer a free tool kit to help artists, art centers, and senior living facilities navigate building their own collaborations. We have added another artist in residence and a musician in residence.
I am most proud of building a community arts program where people feel connected, seen, and welcomed. I am proud of the way our programs make creativity a shared community asset.
What sets me apart is my ability to build partnerships and connect people across sectors that include schools, senior living communities, city departments, health organizations, and local artists. I am a collaborator at heart. I love to bring people together and align their strengths to build strong arts programming.
How do you think about luck?
I think luck has played a small part in my journey, mostly in the sense that I crossed paths with the right people at the right time. But the truth is, every step forward came from hard work, persistence, and saying yes to opportunities even when they stretched me. My career has been shaped by grit, curiosity, resilience, and commitment to keep fully showing up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tac.clemsoncity.org/
- Instagram: clemson_art
- Facebook: The City of Clemson Arts Center
