Idris Goodwin, an accomplished playwright, poet, director, educator, and organizer, will become the next director of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, effective May 1, 2020. He will lead strategic direction and manage operations for the FAC, serving both Colorado College and the Colorado Springs community.

Goodwin, who most recently worked as producing artistic director of Stage One Family Theater in Louisville, Kentucky, has strong connections to the Colorado Springs and Denver arts communities. He taught for six years in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Colorado College. During that time, he wrote plays and poetry, directed, and performed at the Fine Arts Center; CC; University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and its Gallery of Contemporary Art; Colorado Springs Philharmonic; on 91.5 KRCC's "Critical Karaoke"; and in Denver at Denver Center Theatre, Curious Theatre Company, and MCA Denver.

Goodwin, whose first name is pronounced Ee-drees, realizes his name is confusing for some, so, being the break beat poet and educator that he is, he traces the origin of his name personally, culturally, and etymologically in an original piece. Hear him on the pronunciation of his name in "Say My Name."

Goodwin brings extensive experience as a visionary arts leader, working to use the power of the arts to build more equitable, inclusive, and invigorating spaces for all. Passionate about cultivating new audiences in the arts, Goodwin actively serves on the national advisory boards of Theatre for Young Audiences USA and the Children's Theatre Foundation of America, as well as New Mexico's 516Arts. He is the recipient of multiple awards from the Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and The National Endowment for The Arts, and in 2015 was voted Teacher of the Year at Colorado College.

Goodwin holds a master of fine arts degree in creative writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a bachelor's degree in film, video, and screenwriting from Columbia College.

"During my time as a professor at Colorado College, I engaged with the Fine Arts Center in many ways, from co-planning a hip-hop festival, to teaching classes, to receiving an award, to wandering its galleries lost in inspiration," Goodwin says. "The Fine Arts Center is a bridge between the campus and community, with great potential to be the defining multidisciplinary arts space of the 21st-century West. I am humbled, honored, and energized by this tremendous opportunity and I can't wait to join the team in shaping the next chapter."

Alan Townsend, provost at Colorado College, says Goodwin's community connections and vision make him the right person to be the next leader of the FAC. "As the Fine Arts Center completes its transition to Colorado College this summer, we sought a director who could maintain and expand its essential community ties, and also help develop exciting new opportunities for our members, visitors, students, faculty, and staff," Townsend says. "I'm thrilled to welcome Idris back to the college and the Springs. Not only is he an internationally known artist with extraordinary vision, he brings unique knowledge of the Colorado Springs, Denver, and CC communities that will be invaluable to the FAC in the coming years."

"We are incredibly fortunate to have Idris return to Colorado Springs and focus his considerable talents on the Fine Arts Center," says current FAC Director Erin Hannan, who announced her intended departure in November 2019. "I'm honored to pass the proverbial torch into his capable hands, as his literary and theatrical accolades, understanding of the creative and artistic process, background as an educator, scholar, and practitioner, and involvement in the Colorado arts community can serve the mission in countless ways. As the Fine Arts Center continues to implement an aspirational strategic plan, Idris' vision for the ways in which the arts create transformational experiences and social impact will be invaluable."