“We are deeply grateful to Beverly for her commitment to exposing more Missourians to art while making a profession in the arts more viable,” said Mike Downing, director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development. “The arts are very important in growing the economy by providing Missouri the opportunity to showcase its unique and rich culture. Communities that offer exciting things to see, hear, and do, attract a talented workforce and businesses go where the talent is.”

Strohmeyer joined the Missouri Arts Council in 1997 and was appointed executive director in 2006. She has been executive director longer than anyone else in the Missouri Arts Council’s 50-year history.

“During her career, Beverly has always worked to provide arts of all types for Missouri citizens,” said Nola Ruth, chair of the Missouri Arts Council and Trust Board. “Her years as executive director of the Missouri Arts Council were among the most challenging in the council’s existence. Beverly provided calm and decisive leadership, strengthening us in the process. I am privileged to have worked with her.”

“It is with extremely mixed emotions that I announce my retirement. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Missouri Arts Council, and the wonderful people I have met and worked with in my 31 years of arts administration,” said Strohmeyer. “When I first applied to the Missouri Arts Council, I stated that I wanted to make a difference. I will forever be grateful to Richard Winter, the Council chair at the time I was appointed executive director, and to Nola Ruth, who has been a mentor and friend for 30 years. Together, with an extremely talented staff, we have developed many successful programs, improved processes, and achieved many major accomplishments. I hope that my years at the Council have made a difference.”  

▪ Increased the number of organizations funded each year from approximately 450 to an average of 600

▪ Initiated the MAC on Location program in which staff members travel to communities around the state to meet with constituents and share grant opportunities and information

▪ Developed a monthly strategic grant with a streamlined application to encourage small, emerging, and rural organizations to apply for funding

▪ Created the Big Yellow School Bus Grant to help schools cope with the transportation costs of arts field trips at a time of dwindling budgets

▪ Joined the National Endowment for the Arts’ Poetry Out Loud in the program’s inaugural year and continued every year to manage the state’s program, consistently recognized as one of the top Poetry Out Loud programs in the country

▪ Established the redevelopment and reorganization of the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education and the Missouri VSA affiliate that promotes arts accessibility for people with disabilities

▪ Partnered with the national Americans for the Arts to conduct a statewide impact study on the contribution of the arts to Missouri’s economy