David Ballard Email & Phone Number

• Jest Fest, Festival Director. Created and managed signature event which showcases national and international performing artists each Saturday in April. Won Alachua County Tourism Product Development grants for funding.• Thomas Center Theatre for Young Audiences, Artistic Director. Created the highly successful theatre program which has played to capacity audiences and received critical acclaim. Produces fundraisers and directs successful donation campaigns to pay production costs for theatre program.• “Free Fridays” Concert Series, Producer and Master of Ceremonies. Books bands and directs weekly concert series from April through November. Transformed series into a weekly Top Five entertainment pick in The Gainesville Sun, greatly increasing attendance over prior years. “Free Fridays” was named The Gainesville Sun’s “#1 Memorable Music Moment” of the year 2009.• The Heart of Florida Asian Festival, Festival Director. Created the festival and won Smithsonian Institution and Alachua County Tourism Product Development grants for funding. Increased festival attendance by over 600% in its second year.• Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration, Event Director/Coordinator. Program to kick off the holiday season with music, caroling, carriage rides and more.• New Year’s Eve Celebration, Event Director/Coordinator. Countdown to the New Year concert. • Public Relations / Marketing. Acts as City Cultural Affairs media spokesperson appearing on radio and television shows and giving print media interviews. Writes AP style press releases for events and programs. Works with marketing to create strong advertising content/campaigns. Proven ability to establish and maintain strong media connections.• Financial Management. Fiscal planning/responsibility for all budgets and fundraising efforts.• Supervisory Duties. Responsible for supervising all staff assigned to programs/events as well as all contractors and volunteers.

1974-2007 (full-time), 2007-present (part-time) Moxie Productions • Administrates, produces and directs events and theatrical productions; design, creation and sale of hand-crafted puppets, masks and fantasy characters; theatrical entertainer; living history programs. • Provides marketing, media relations and financial administration for all programs. Entertainment/Ensemble Director; Entertainer1981-2007, Renaissance/Medieval festivals, art festivals, city festivals, national tours• Entertainment director, troupe/ensemble director, craft coordinator and entertainer. OTHER NOTABLE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE• 2011 Chrysler Corporation Headquarters, Family Day guest performer.• 1985-1999 Ringling Museum of Fine Arts, Guest performer.• 1982-1988 Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History and National Museum of American Art. Special programs. Guest performer. • 1979-1987 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Puppet master/consultant/living history programs. • 1985-1987 Arlington Humanities Project, Artist-in-Residence.• 1985 Walt Disney Productions, Guest performer.• 1983-1985 Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Artist-in-Residence.• 1981 Colonial National Historical Park, Yorktown, International American Bicentennial Celebration Heritage Festival, Guest performer.• 1980, Wolf Trap Farm Park, International Children’s Festival, Guest performer.• 1976-1981 Virginia Arts Commission, Artist-in-Schools/Grant consultant/Grant recipient.• 1979-1980 Jamestown National Historic Site, Director of Puppetry/Living History Program.• 1976-1979 Virginia Commonwealth University, Faculty, School of Arts, Theatre Department. (taught graduate and undergraduate classes). Artistic Director, Cracker-box Theatre.• 1974-1976 Colonial National Historical Park, Yorktown, Living History Program..