Nashville, Tenn. – October 20, 2022 – As it launches its 10^th season of innovative performance programming from around the globe, contemporary arts center OZ Arts Nashville today announced the hire of Nicholas Gulick as director of development and Thea Jones as director of community engagement. With extensive professional histories in Nashville’s arts scene, both Gulick and Jones represent a meaningful step forward for OZ Arts, which has become one of the leading presenters of contemporary performance programming in the Southeast. 

As Director of Development, Nicholas Gulick will help foster the organization’s culture of philanthropy to ensure the continued success of Nashville’s nonprofit contemporary arts center. He joins the OZ team after serving as the Director of Grants for Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) and, prior to that, as the Corporate and Foundation Relations Manager at the Nashville Ballet. 

Gulick is the creator of “Coaching Your Donors to Give: Relationship-Building Skills for Fundraisers,” a program developed to empower professional fundraisers through powerful coaching skills. He is also an active member of Nashville in Harmony and currently serves on the board of directors for Nashville Pride. He earned a M.S. in strategic communication and leadership from Belmont University, a B.A. in music and B.A. in speech pathology from the University of Tennessee, and a graduate certificate in performance coaching from Lipscomb University. 

In the role of Director of Community Engagement, artist and educator Thea Jones will collaborate with local arts institutions, community leaders and change-makers to create purposeful, meaningful and synergistic multidisciplinary engagements that reflect and affirm the beauty and diversity of the local community. Among her many professional credits, Jones has previously engaged with OZ Arts as a teaching artist and a featured performer in last December’s premiere production of Steal Away. 

A native Tennessean, Jones earned a BFA in dance from Howard University and an M.S. in education from Mercy College in New York City. She is a professionally trained concert dancer, educator and international cultural curator with experience in several esteemed dance companies. Additionally, she established the Skylark Creative Alliance, a collaborative artist association and consultancy with the goal of creating an international alliance of creatives who inspire, connect, empower and influence positive community change through meaningful multi-disciplinary collaborations.

Joining Gulick and Jones is recent hire Rachel Ebio, who joined the team on April 1, 2022. As the Operations and Administrative Associate, Ebio will put her diverse skillset to use to support the efficiency of daily operations at OZ Arts. With a background in marketing and creative writing, Ebio was a 2021-2022 Art Wire Fellow, a member of a cohort of writers brought together through an ongoing collaboration between OZ Arts and The Porch. Her recent art criticism has appeared in publications such as The Nashville Scene, Number Inc., and The Nashvillian. Rachel graduated from The University of Alabama with a B.S. in Commerce and Business Administration.

“As we celebrate the launch of our 10^th Season at OZ Arts, we’re thrilled to welcome Nicholas, Rachel and Thea to our team of passionate administrators and artists,” said Mark Murphy, OZ Arts Executive and Artistic Director. “By adding their talents and wealth of experience to our organization at this momentous milestone, OZ is well-positioned to further establish itself as an essential part of the city’s creative landscape, support an ever-growing roster of artists, and engage an even wider swath of audiences across Nashville and beyond.” 

About OZ Arts Nashville

Founded in 2013 by the Ozgener family, OZ Arts Nashville has quickly established itself as one of the Southeast’s most influential and respected producers and presenters focused on the creation and presentation of significant performing and visual art works by diverse cultural visionaries who are making vital contributions to the evolution of contemporary culture. Through performances, exhibitions, and community events, OZ Arts focuses on producing and presenting the work of local and visiting artists who reflect our diverse society, utilize new artistic forms and technology in creative ways, and provide opportunities for meaningful engagement with audiences, students and cultural and civic leaders. OZ Arts’ unique creative warehouse has developed a reputation as a major national and regional laboratory for experimentation and a home for contemporary dance and performance. More than 50,000 audience members have been introduced to adventurous artists from around the world since the organization opened, and hundreds of local and regional artists have used OZ’s 10,000 square-foot warehouse theater to develop new works. For more information, please visit ozartsnashville.org.