The Center for the Arts has announced that Patience Long is their new executive director. Long brings more than a decade of nonprofit experience to the Center, most recently as Executive Director of the Murfreesboro Youth Orchestra. Long will begin her new position at the Center on September. 1, 2015.

"On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Center for the Arts, I am excited to welcome Patience Long as the new executive director," said Board President Phillip Barnett. "Her wealth of experience and demonstrated leadership in fundraising will help the Center move forward in its mission to provide a variety of arts and opportunities to the population of Rutherford County. Of course, we are very sad to see Tim Smith leave, his contribution to the growth of the Center has been invaluable over the years."

Patience Long is a native of Nashville, TN. After graduating from MTSU in 2001, she began her career in fundraising at Volunteers of America of Western, NY. Since then, she has successfully raised money and awareness for organizations including Middle Tennessee State University, Gilda's Club of Rochester, NY, Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal, IL, and CASA in Nashville, TN. She plans to use her extensive non-profit and fundraising experience to continue the long-standing tradition of success the Center for the Arts enjoys. She currently resides in Murfreesboro with her husband, Brian Russell, and three children: Cadence, Chase and Constance.

As executive director of the Center, Long will oversee an organization that presents over eleven productions a year, provides an art gallery that is open to the public and runs Center Stage Academy - a year round youth arts training program. Located at 110 West College Street in Murfreesboro, TN, the Center for the Arts, Inc. is a recognized 501c3 organization and is supported in part by generous grants provided by The City of Murfreesboro, The Community Foundation and The Tennessee Arts Commission.