As executive director for Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition, Julia Kirt is responsible for overseeing the organization of a program supporting more than 3,000 artists statewide.

 

In 2001, she implemented "Momentum" for which she recruited a dozen young artists ranging in age from 17 to 29. The event is a multimedia, interactive exhibition for artists younger than 30 with goals to foster new leadership in the arts. Held annually in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Momentum has continued to grow exponentially with more than 2,200 in attendance in 2006. This event has been Kirt's most significant professional and community accomplishment to date.

 

Kirt says her mentor is Liz Eickman, director of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund and former director of the Arts Council of Oklahoma City, whose tireless self education about the arts and community development allowed her to both dream big and take care of practical day-to-day tasks.

 

Kirt is a board member of the Oklahoma Association for Liturgy and Arts, serves on the board of trustees for Cultural Development Corporation, volunteers at Community Youth Outreach, serves on the Concept 100 Advisory Board in Tulsa, co-chairs the Artful Experiences Committee for Arts Festival of Oklahoma City and is a member of the Central Oklahoma Cultural Plan Task Force, among her many community service and civic endeavors.

 

By age 50, she hopes to be as fulfilled in her career as she is now, in addition to having made a greater impact on Oklahoma in terms of the value of art in the community.

 

Kirt received her bachelor's degree in communication studies in 1995 from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., and her master's degree in art history in 2006 from the University of Oklahoma.

 

Kirt also is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City class XXI.