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Golden Triangle BID names Manager of Public Art and Activations

Good Insight is pleased to share that the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID) named Alexandra Benson as Manager of Public Art & Creative Activation following a national search. Benson began her new role on February 5.

“Alexandra has the right skill set and experience to implement our vision for art and culture in the Golden Triangle,” said Deirdre Ehlen MacWilliams, the BID’s Director of Public Art & Creative Activation. “I am eager to have her as a partner in our work to enliven the neighborhood and bring new energy to the center of DC.”

Home to award-winning public art projects, bio-retention landscaping, innovative park design, and vibrant major streetscapes in Washington, DC, the Golden Triangle BID implements a broad range of programs and projects that enhance the vitality of the Golden Triangle neighborhood. The Public Art & Creative Activation team supports the BID’s efforts to use art and design to redefine DC’s post-COVID era.

“I am thrilled by the opportunity to imagine new possibilities as the center of DC transforms,” said Benson. “It is a privilege to join a team shaping the experiences of residents, commuters, and tourists through art and public space in the nation’s capital.”

ABOUT ALEXANDRA BENSON

Alexandra Benson has supported local cultural advancement through creative placemaking and grassroots arts initiatives across North Carolina since 2015. Her portfolio of work includes municipal-led public art programming, research in arts education leadership, and reflections on power and privilege as it relates to the creative sector.

In her previous role with Downtown Durham, Inc., she managed open space installations and performances, placemaking and streetscape improvements, and a collection of rotating events throughout the Business Improvement District. She has also worked with the City of Durham’s Cultural and Public Art Program to support capacity building for artists, evolving local cultural policy, a festival and special event grant funding program, and the development of over 65 public art projects.

Benson graduated from Salem College with a Bachelor of Arts in Arts Management and Communication, and from North Carolina State University with a Master’s of Public Administration (MPA).

ABOUT GOLDEN TRIANGLE BID

The Golden Triangle BID is an award-winning nonprofit 501(c)6 corporation that works to enhance the Golden Triangle—a 44-block radius that stretches from Washington, DC’s Dupont Circle to Pennsylvania Avenue. The BID is home to the commercial offices of major businesses and nonprofits, and more than 500 of DC’s best restaurants, retailers, hotels, and National Park Service parks. It borders major attractions including the White House, Black Lives Matter Plaza, and George Washington University. Its activities are funded from an assessment of the neighborhood’s property owners, which raises more than $5 million annually. Learn more at www.goldentriangledc.com

ABOUT GOOD INSIGHT

With a mission to connect good causes to great leaders, Good Insight is an executive search firm and governance consultancy serving the social sector. They plan leadership transitions, recruit talented senior executives, and strengthen boards of directors. Good Insight focuses on leadership searches for small and mid-sized nonprofits with a nationwide reach. Learn more at www.good-insight.org

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