The Greater Hartford Arts Council announced Monday that its chief executive officer, the Rev. Shelley Best, has been terminated from her post, effective immediately.
“The decision was reached by the organization’s board of directors after an internal investigation determined that Best’s actions were inconsistent with GHAC’s procedural policies, as well as code of conduct, culture and values,” the arts organization said, in a brief statement.
No other details were disclosed or immediately available. A spokesman for the nonprofit said there would be no further comment at this time.
Longtime arts council employee Amanda Roy has been tapped to serve as interim CEO. A search for a permanent successor to Best will begin in the “coming months,” according to the statement.
“We are thrilled to have Amanda step into this role,” Robert Braswell, the chairman of the arts council’s board of directors, said. “Her exceptional talent, combined with her intimate knowledge of the organization and the Hartford arts landscape, make her the ideal candidate to lead GHAC during this transitional period.”
Best, an ordained minister and pastor in A.M.E. Zion Church, was appointed CEO of the arts council 2022 after a 5-month search that drew more than 70 applicants. The search for new leadership after the arts organization — now more than 50 years old — launched a strategic planning process in 2021.
The council seeks to be a catalyst for the arts and promote an equitable arts ecosystem.
In June, the arts council announced the creation of The Art Star Photo Mosaic Mural, billed as the first of its kind in Connecticut. The project will be designed as a crowd-sourced photo mosaic mural.
The project is a 400-square-foot public art installation, supported by Shelbourne Global Solutions and LAZ Parking, which will be unveiled on Pearl Street in Hartford next to the Gold Building in early December.
Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at [email protected].
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