Southern Documentary Fund (SDF), a nonprofit arts organization that cultivates and supports Southern documentary makers and documentary projects made in or about the American South, today announced the appointment of Board Member Mark Sloan as its Interim Executive Director, effective June 15th.
Sloan has a deep and impressive background as an author, curator, educator, artist, video producer, and arts professional. His projects have garnered national and international attention, including feature articles in the Wall Street Journal, WIRED, and TIME Magazine, as well as coverage by NPR and PBS.
“We are extraordinarily fortunate to have Mark apply his skills, expertise, and experience as a 40- year veteran Executive Director to running SDF as we conduct a nationwide search for a permanent Executive Director,” said Ellen Stolzman, SDF Board President. “Mark brings a wealth of knowledge to this position. Among his many talents, he is a skilled grants writer, having successfully raised funds and executed projects funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Asia Cultural Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts, to name a few. “
As Director and Chief Curator of the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art in Charleston for 26 years before moving to North Carolina in 2020, Sloan was the primary fundraiser, bringing in over $6 million in external funding since 2010, in addition to producing over 100 exhibitions of contemporary art, many of which traveled nationally and internationally. Currently working as an independent curator and publications consultant under the name Curioso, Sloan is curating and organizing a traveling exhibition of Ghanaian fantasy coffins for the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In 2018, Sloan co-curated a traveling documentary exhibition called Southbound: Photographs of and About the New South (southboundproject.org). Comprised of 56 photographers’ visions of the American South over the first decades of the 21st century, this landmark project created a composite image of a region in flux. Accompanying the still photographs were a series of commissioned essays and videos, a soundtrack of contemporary Southern music, and a digital mapping environment using GIS technology.
As for his plans for SDF, Sloan says “The organization has a sterling foundation upon which to build. As Interim Executive Director, my goal will be to provide support to the staff and to look for ways to improve and expand our services in the South in furtherance of SDF’s mission. I look forward to collaborating with Chris Everett, an amazing filmmaker and SDF’s Artistic Director as we listen to the needs of the region’s documentarians and work together to help increase awareness of the storytelling tradition through the documentary lens.” “Mark’s experience brings a new dynamic and energy to SDF. I am excited to pursue new opportunities and partnerships together.” said Everett.
Sloan, who recently joined the SDF Board of Directors, has volunteered to head the organization through this period of transition. He will step down from his position on the Board while acting as Interim Executive Director. The search will be launched shortly with details posted on the SDF website. “SDF will be seeking an experienced Executive Director with a strong connection to the arts and the South. We are excited for this next phase in SDF’s evolution to further expand our reach in the region and support of the documentarian community.” Stolzman said.
For more information or to contribute to SDF’s mission, please contact info@southerndocumentaryfund.org. To learn more about SDF, please visit our website www.southerndocumentaryfund.org.
