Dublin Arts Council announces new Executive Director, Merijn van der Heijden

(Dublin, Ohio) The Board and staff of Dublin Arts Council are pleased to announce the appointment of Merijn van der Heijden as the organization’s next Executive Director, following a national search conducted by Benefactor Group. A committed leader with deep experience in arts administration, Merijn is perfectly positioned to champion Dublin Arts Council’s mission to engage the community, cultivate creativity, and foster life-long learning through the arts.
 
“We are delighted to welcome Merijn van der Heijden as the next Executive Director of Dublin Arts Council,” said Kayln Bartley, President of the Board. “She is an innovative and proven leader whose artistic vision and depth of experience will lead our organization into its next chapter.”

Van der Heijden is a seasoned arts administrator and curator with more than two decades of experience in visual arts leadership, curatorial practice, and higher education. Since 2017, she has served as Director of Urban Art Space and Hopkins Hall Gallery at The Ohio State University (OSU). During her tenure, she oversaw a period of administrative growth and deepening community engagement through partnerships with myriad community organizations and expanded digital programming.
Prior to joining her leadership role at Urban Art Space, van der Heijden served as Deputy Director of Exhibitions and Curatorial Practice and as Assistant Dean and Director of the Arts and Sciences Honors Program at The Ohio State University. Van der Heijden holds a BFA from Akademie voor Beeldende Vorming (Academy of Fine Arts and Art Education) in Tilburg, Netherlands, and an MFA from OSU.

Van der Heijden maintains a strong connection to arts organizations across Ohio through her volunteer service as a member and recent Chair of the Columbus Arts Commission and as a member of the Columbus Public Art Plan Steering Committee, in addition to frequent service as a juror and panelist for local and national exhibitions and festivals.

“Dublin Arts Council’s commitment to supporting artists and building community through the arts is an inspiration,” commented van der Heijden. “I am honored and excited to succeed David Guion, the Dublin Arts Council’s Executive Director of 20 years, and partner with the organization’s outstanding staff and board.”
Van der Heijden succeeds David S. Guion, Ph.D, who has served in the role since 2005. “We are deeply grateful for Dr. Guion’s visionary leadership over the past 20 years, which has transformed Dublin Arts Council into a nationally recognized leader in public art and arts education. Guion’s enduring commitments to community engagement, artist empowerment, and groundbreaking initiatives have left an indelible mark on Dublin’s cultural landscape,” said Bartley.
Van der Heijden will assume the role on June 30, 2025.
 
Dublin Arts Council (DAC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a thriving local arts agency which administers comprehensive, engaging programs including a variety of award-winning Art in Public Places projects, a yearlong Visual Arts Series and the annual DAC Sundays at Scioto concert series. DAC is committed to programs and events with strong emphasis on education and community-building. DAC serves as a community convener and thought leader for using art as a catalyst for social change and cultural cohesion. Dublin Arts Council engages the community, cultivates creativity and fosters life-long learning through the arts. DAC is supported in part by the City of Dublin’s hotel/motel tax which was established to improve quality of life for residents, corporate citizens and visitors through community investment in projects and events that enhance visitor appeal, enrich the aesthetic of public property, provide cultural arts experiences, support business, attract positive local, regional and national attention, and encourage overnight stays in Dublin. DAC is also supported by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically. In addition, Dublin Arts Council is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, fundraising events, gallery sales and in-kind contributions. Dublin Arts Council is located at 7125 Riverside Dr. in Dublin, Ohio. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the second Saturday of each month, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, call 614.889.7444 or visit https://dublinarts.org/.