Rocky Mountain Arts Association Appoints Interim Executive Director
Seasoned arts and non-profit executive, Margaret Williams to assist RMAA as the organization celebrates 30th Anniversary Season

DENVER (December 20, 2011) -- The Rocky Mountain Arts Association (RMAA) announced today that it has appointed Margaret Williams to serve as the association's interim Executive Director. The organization is conducting a national search for permanent leadership on the verge of its much anticipated 30th Anniversary Season and participation in the Quadrennial International GALA Choruses Festival in July of 2012.

Margaret Williams most recently served as Vice President of Marketing and Communication at the Colorado Symphony where she achieved record-breaking ticket sales and earned revenues for the organization. Williams has worked in non-profit performing arts across the country for more than a decade, bringing successful marketing and communication programs, as well as thoughtful strategic management to each organization she has served.

"We are so pleased that Margaret has agreed to provide leadership to the RMAA during this exciting time for the organization. She was unanimously selected by the Board, and we are all very excited that she will be sharing her expertise with us at this ground-breaking time," says RMAA Board Chair Kevin Marvin. "Margaret has a keen sense of strategy, both in marketing and fundraising and brings a very strong sense of organizational development to the table which will be welcome as community programs, such as our work with Manhattan Middle School, continue to blossom." About Margaret Williams Margaret Williams is an accomplished arts marketing executive and public relations professional with more than a decade of national experience in campaign planning and deployment, project management, and client evaluation and counsel. Direct marketing, sales, customer service, branding and not-for-profit management are core strengths, as demonstrated by her success at the Colorado Symphony increasing earned revenues by 55% over the course of one year while implementing new branding and technology systems.

Prior to her move to Colorado, Williams was an independent consultant, providing marketing management and consulting services to noted performing arts institutions across the country such as the Omaha, Elgin, Syracuse, Honolulu and Seattle Symphonies. While a resident of Honolulu, her consulting work included traditional public relations agency work with Hastings & Pleadwell: A Communication Company, and direct marketing counsel for affinity publication, Hawai'i Magazine.

Williams has lived and worked throughout the Midwestern United States. As an executive leader and head of marketing and public relations for performing arts organizations, Williams championed strategic community partnerships. As a member of the Clinton Presidential Library's opening planning committee, she orchestrated and publicized a nationally televised event with the Arkansas Symphony and pop culture icon Aretha Franklin during the library's opening. She also worked for Target Resource Group, Direct Response division, based in Colorado Springs, providing direct marketing counsel for performing arts clients throughout North America such as the Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Opera Company Philadelphia, Laguna Playhouse, and the Joffrey Ballet.

As a communications professional, Williams excels at overall campaign planning and execution, issues management, crisis communications and institutional leadership. Williams' client work for Hastings & Pleadwell included contributions to statewide campaigns such as Hawaii's HI-5 recycling campaign, and was the lead Account Executive for Central Pacific Bank from August 2008 through spring 2009 during a critical time in the banking industry.

Williams earned her Masters of Business Administration and Masters in Arts Administration concurrently at Southern Methodist University and returned in 2007 as adjunct professor to teach the arts marketing course for her alma mater. She holds a Bachelors Degree of Music in flute performance from Oklahoma City University.

Upcoming RMAA Events - 30th Anniversary Season Concerts · Mosaic Youth Chorus Concert: January 14, 2012; Christ Church, 690 Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO · Denver Women's Chorus Concert: January 28 and 29, 2012; Montview Blvd Presbyterian Church, Miller Center, 1980 Dahlia Street, Denver, CO · Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus Concert: ay 6, 2012 at Park Hill United Methodist Church and Robert Moore Community Award presentation; Denver, CO · Denver Women's Chorus and Denver Gay Men's Chorus Joint Concert: June 9, 2012, St. Andrew United Methodist Church; Denver, CO Special Events · "The Diva Ball": 30th Anniversary Celebration for the Denver Gay Men's Chorus, April 21, 2012 with special Guest Artist Miss Richfield 1981; location to be announced · GALA Festival, July 7-11, 2012, Denver Center for the Performing Arts Complex, Downtown Denver, CO About the Rocky Mountain Arts Association Celebrating its 30th Anniversary Season this year, the Rocky Mountain Arts Association (RMAA) exists to build community through music. The organization builds community through music through four program choruses: the Denver Gay Men's Chorus, the Denver Women's Chorus, Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus, and Mosaic Youth Chorus. The choruses, as they sing, provide educational, cultural and social enrichment for audiences and its members, and identify as organizations of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and supporters that actively make a positive contribution to the entire community. The Rocky Mountain Arts Association was incorporated on March 23, 1982 as the corporate name for its first program, the Denver Gay Men's Chorus. The chorus was the first arts program in Colorado to use the word "gay" in its name, and was somewhat controversial when it was initially formed. The Association now serves as the umbrella organization for all four choruses. Rocky Mountain Arts Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

The Denver Gay Men's Chorus, celebrating its 30th Anniversary, was founded in 1982 by Robert "Melba" Moore. The chorus today is made up of over 130 volunteer singers from primarily the Denver metropolitan area. The chorus produces several concert series each year: spring, June Pride and Holiday. In addition, the chorus sings at over 10 community outreach events each year. The Chorus has two smaller ensembles - The Ambassadors and Sing Out, Louise! - that assist in carrying out the mission of Building Community Through Music.

Denver Women's Chorus was founded in 1984. Its first director, Carol White, was inspired to return to choral conducting by the festival chorus formed to sing at the national PFLAG conference held in Denver that year.

Since that time, the DWC has continued to meet and sing, striving to achieve the goal of its mission statement, "building community through musical excellence." Currently under the direction of Mark Zwilling, DWC performs two to three concerts annually as well as participates in many local community outreach events. The DWC's activities have included a performance at the Centura Women's Wellness Festival, appearances at athletic events in the Denver and Boulder metro areas, and concerts at the Shwayder Theater, Temple Events Center, Auraria Campus'; King Center, Lakewood Cultural Center, DCPA's Stage Theater, and the Arvada Center for the Performing Arts. In addition to the full chorus, the small ensemble Take Note performs many times a year as a community outreach program.

Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2011. Premiering in April, 2006, the chorus was founded by members of the Colorado Springs Community lead by Guy McPherson and is made up of over 50 volunteer singers from primarily the Colorado Springs metropolitan area. Out Loud is the first gay men's chorus in the Pikes Peak region, and produces two concert series each year: spring and fall. In addition, the chorus sings at over 10 community outreach events each year.

The newly formed ensemble group, Jazz Hands, will serve as an additional community outreach program of the chorus.

Mosaic Youth Chorus was conceived in the fall of 2005 by the leadership of the Denver Gay Men's Chorus and premiered in August 2007. One of the few of its kind in North America, Mosaic is a chorus for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth and their straight friends, ages 14 to 20. Mosaic provides a safe space for these young adults to be themselves, while raising awareness of what it means to be a LGBTQQS youth in today's society.

Our Mission

Rocky Mountain Arts Association exists to build community through music.

Our Purpose

The members of Rocky Mountain Arts Association have joined together as an organization for the purpose of making an artistic statement: our performers provide educational, cultural and social enrichment for our audiences and ourselves, and we identify as an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people and supporters that is actively making a positive impact in the entire community.

Our Programs

Rocky Mountain Arts Association builds community through music through our five programs: the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus, Denver Women's Chorus, Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus, and Mosaic Youth Chorus.

The Denver Gay Men's Chorus celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2007. Founded in 1982 by Robert "Melba" Moore, the chorus today is made up of over 100 volunteer singers from primarily the Denver metropolitan area. The chorus produces three concert series’ each season. In addition, the chorus sings at over 10 community outreach events each year.

The Denver Women's Chorus was founded in 1984. Its first director, Carol White, was inspired to return to choral conducting by the festival chorus formed to sing at the national PFLAG conference held in Denver that year. Since that time, the DWC has continued to meet and sing, striving to achieve the goal of its mission statement, "building community through music."

Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus celebrated its second anniversary in 2007. Premiering in April, 2006, the chorus was founded by Guy McPherson and is made up of over 40 volunteer singers from primarily the Colorado Springs metropolitan area. Out Loud is the first gay men’s chorus in the Pikes Peak region, and produces two concert series each season. In addition, the chorus sings at over 10 community outreach events each year.

Mosaic Youth Chorus was conceived in the fall of 2005 and premiered in August, 2007. One of only seven choruses of its kind in North America, Mosaic is a chorus for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth and their straight friends, ages 14 to 20. Mosaic provides a safe space for these youth to be themselves, while raising awareness of what it means to be a GLBTQQS youth in today's society.