The Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, established in Oklahoma City in 1989, has announced that Eddie Walker will become the nonprofit’s next director. Walker comes to the institution from the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, where he has served as executive director for the last twenty years, and will take up the post on April 1.

During Walker’s tenure at the Philharmonic, he oversaw the planning and execution of a $9 million endowment campaign and the renovation of the Civic Center Music Hall, as well as the revitalization of the education programs at the Oklahoma City Orchestra League. Walker joined the Philharmonic staff in 1989 and served as operations coordinator, operations manager, director of operations, and general manager before becoming executive director in 1999.

In the fall of 2019, Oklahoma Contemporary will open its new location on a 4.6-acre campus at NW Eleventh and Broadway in Oklahoma City. The new centrally located center will feature a six-thousand-square-foot main gallery, classroom studios, performance spaces, a community lounge, a café, and outdoor spaces. The nonprofit has been planning the move since 2011 and has raised nearly $21.5 million to fund the construction of the new facility.

“I am so thrilled to be invited to join Oklahoma Contemporary as it claims its bold, new presence in downtown Oklahoma City,” Walker said. “Oklahoma Contemporary’s founders and its current leadership have positioned the organization to have a transformative impact on the arts in our community, and their vision will draw national attention for this vibrant and engaging programming.”