Anna Mayes is an arts administrator who is passionate about arts education funding and advocacy. From a young age, she found solace and comfort in choir classes and musicals. For Anna, “The arts are a great way to explore emotion and who you are at your core… However, if there is no funding, then it can be hard for schools to offer these programs.”

Her thesis, “Mission Fulfillment and Organization Programming in a Time of Crisis,” focused on how music-centered performing arts organizations continued to fulfill their mission during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time that Anna was finishing her thesis and preparing to graduate, Live Arts Maryland, a performing arts organization that is home to The Annapolis Chorale and Chamber Chorus, and the Annapolis Chamber Orchestra, was looking for someone to help them create new education and community outreach programs. Anna’s thesis and professional relationships not only allowed her to “learn everything about programming during a time where people could not attend live performances,” but also to land a job after graduation.

Anna hopes to draw in an audience that might otherwise not be reached. With Live Arts’ recent move and expansion, she believes the organization is in a unique position to create fresh programming in a brand-new space. Moving forward, Anna aims to advocate for educational programming not only for kids but also for adults because it is never too late to learn something new.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and English with minors in History and Medieval and Early Modern Studies from Washington College, and a Master of Science in Arts Administration from Drexel University.