New executive director at CCA

“I’ve been thinking about what that means for CCA — it was founded when Hood River didn’t have all these [art] galleries,” he said. “And I think the importance of CCA, to still be here … One of the things I look at is the history of the center — the level of community involvement it’s had in building spaces.”

CCA recently underwent a strategic planning process, one that began with community listening sessions and surveys in early 2023. Harkins said the resulting plan is centered on three areas: Programming, expanding the board, and making sure the building is maintained, accessible and open.

“We’re starting to look at the rebuilding of the former programming committees, which were focused on gallery programming, education, theater and events,” he said.

Some of those plans have already come to fruition. The gallery has reopened, and CCA hosted its first theater production since the pandemic, “A Doll’s House, Part 2.” Directed by longtime actor and director Tom Burns, it ran in late February and early March. Next, Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association will produce “Bat Boy: The Musical” at the theater, opening in May.

But there is still work to be done. “Everyone knows that not just CCA, but so many places struggled during the pandemic,” Harkins said. “Right now, our energy is about the future … It will take some time to rebuild. I am one person, so it will also take community support. We need volunteers and partners to make it all happen.

“But there’s so much enthusiasm that it will happen. We’re starting now, piecing together some programming for the near future, and developing more strategy and partnerships that go deeper into the next programming year,” he said, including Arts in Education in the Gorge and Oregon Society of Artists.

The executive director opening at CCA was a good match for his mix of experiences. Harkins has a background in the arts dating back to his teenage years. He was a dancer growing up in Wisconsin, and taught dance at a Washington summer camp. “That was what planted the seed of my love for the northwest,” he said.

He followed that interest to Chicago, majoring in arts management and production management; he then spent eight years at Old Town School of Folk Music, where he ran a performance venue. “It was primarily a school, but also had lots of touring artists,” he said.

From there, he helped produce the annual Chicago Humanities Festival, which he described as a multi-disciplinary festival of arts and ideas. “That festival is a month long and it’s city wide, and it engages community partners to fill the city with arts programming for a month … lots of performances, lectures, lots of literary events as well as experiences such as neighborhood art tours. Really community-centric programming,” he said.

Next came seven years at Live Wire Radio, a national public radio program based in Portland, working on production of live shows, operations, developing and marketing and as executive director. “It was a kind of steppingstone for me in terms of where to use my previous arts experience and apply it in Portland,” he said. “The show is very much like an arts festival for radio — which of course means we could only program stuff that was audio friendly and not visually centric.”

Harkins encourages everyone to visit Columbia Center for the Arts, whether it’s to see a theatrical performance or visit the gallery. Volunteers are needed, including serving on one of its various committees. For more information, visit www.columbiaarts.org and click the “support” tab, or email info@ columbiaarts.org.

“I’m really excited to be back and build up partnerships and bring the center back to life,” Harkin said. “… It’s a small community, but people are so engaged. It’s pretty exciting.”