Louisville, KY — Kentucky Performing Arts appointed Jason Craig Brooks as Director of the Governor’s School for the Arts program. Brooks will be responsible for supervision of the program.

The Governor’s School of the Arts is a free, three week, summer arts program for Kentucky high school students. Students accepted into the program will have the opportunity to spend their summer learning about the arts. The disciplines the program teaches include: creative writing, dance, design, drama, film and photography, instrumental music, musical theatre, visual art, and vocal music.

According to a news release from Kentucky Performing Arts, Brooks has more than 15 years of experience in the arts, program administration, organizational leadership, and advancing inclusive excellence in education.

Most recently, Brooks served at the University of Kentucky as the executive director for institutional engagement and the director of education at the Martin Luther King Cultural Center. Before he worked in Kentucky, Brooks also worked at Emporia State University in Kansas as the assistant dean of students for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and as chief diversity officer.

Kentucky Performing Arts says by the time Brooks was 15, he had mastered seven different instruments, and by the age of 16, Brooks’ talent had taken him to Europe. Later, Brooks transitioned from performing to teaching. He taught band, choir, and orchestra at public schools across Missouri and Kansas before he moved into higher education as a student affairs administrator.

Nick Covault, the vice president of education and community at Kentucky Performing Arts, says Brooks’ professional and artistic experience and his inclusive leadership make him a great addition to GSA’s community of artists. “We’re genuinely excited to see how he applies his talents and knowledge to GSA as the program evolves in the coming years under his leadership,” said Covault.

Brooks officially began his new position as GSA director on Dec. 4, 2023.