New Director for Ann Arbor Art Fair
Photo courtesy of Jesse David Green - Handcar
Angela Kline has been named the new executive director of the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original. The art fair’s board of directors announced the appointment following a national search process.
Kline is succeeding Maureen Riley who retired from the position after 12 years as executive director. Riley remains on staff through 2022 as a part-time artist coordinator and to assist with the transition.
“Angela is the ideal person to lead The Original Street Art Fair into the future,” said Tony Zambelli, the board’s president and chair. “She possesses a true passion for the arts and the well-being of artists and has a number of ideas to enhance the enjoyment of the art fair for all participants. She also brings many years of experience successfully managing other arts organizations, and we are very excited to have her on board!”
As a passionate artist advocate for the past 20 years, Kline brings her knowledge of partnering with major brands to the mutual benefit of artists and the community. Her appointment continues the art fair’s mission to increase public appreciation of fine art through innovation that provides support for artists and the community.
An innovator in the field of marketing, Kline has developed and executed multi-channel communication strategies across digital, social, and influencer platforms to create collaborative relationships between artists and celebrity clients, corporations, and organizations such as Oprah Winfrey, General Motors, Stellantis-Jeep, The White House, and Pure Michigan.
Kline joins the art fair from Wallace Detroit, where she served as CFO/CMO since 2015. From 2005 to 2013, she was the CEO/CMO of Chris Roberts-Antieau Studio and Gallery, where she coordinated exhibitions for major museums, including The Visionary Art Museum and The Henry Ford Museum, as well as 15 annual traveling national art fairs.
Earlier in her career, Kline was an award-winning documentary filmmaker who focused on creating thought provoking films and content about artists and their process.
For more than 60 years, the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original, has embraced its mission of increasing public knowledge and appreciation for contemporary fine arts and fine crafts by creating opportunities that connect artists, the Ann Arbor community, and the public culminating in a high-quality, juried street art fair.
Continually ranked as one of the top art fairs in the country, this year’s fair is July 21-23, and runs in conjunction with the Ann Arbor State Street District Art Fair and Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair.