Klatzker to replace Shannon Daut in role to oversee arts, culture and creative policies in the City
Sofia Klatzker has been appointed as the new Cultural Affairs Manager of the City of Santa Monica.
“The City of Santa Monica has a wonderful history of artistic expression, strong leadership and a deeply engaged arts community. I am thrilled to be joining the Community Services Department and the Cultural Affairs Division team,” Klatzker said. The City’s commitment to ensuring that arts and culture will thrive in the future is impressive and I appreciate that the arts are seen as a platform for celebration, healing, learning and economic stability. I look forward to being of service and working with the local arts community, the Arts Commission and staff to continue to embed arts and culture across all aspects of life in Santa Monica.”
Klatzker comes to the city having held positions at many institutions and organizations including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Arts for LA, Sirius XM/Stitcher/99% Invisible, and most recently vice president of strategy for Award-winning podcast 99% Invisible.
Klatzker, who holds a Masters in Arts Administration from Goucher College and Bachelor of Music from Oberlin College, and is set to begin her new role on May 8. In this capacity she will collaborate with city staff, along with the Arts Commission and community members, to further cultivate cultural, creative and arts policies that play a huge role in shaping Santa Monica’s character.
“Sofia has a rich and diverse background in leading and producing arts programming, advocating for and supporting arts and cultural organizations, arts education and cultural equity and inclusion,” said Acting Director of Community Services Danielle Noble. “She has served on local and State arts and culture councils and boards, is well-versed in governmental, non-profit and private operations and is passionate about creating innovative arts and culture experiences and possibilities.”
Among her notable achievements include transforming ArtsDay into a month-long celebration throughout Los Angeles County and designing groundbreaking grants programs that have supported arts nonprofits dedicated to health and social services. She also spearheaded efforts toward achieving diversity, equity and inclusion goals at 99% Invisible podcast.
She begins with an annual salary of $176,648.
Klatzker will be replacing Shannon Daut, who has been the City’s Cultural Affairs Manager for nearly seven years. Daut will be moving back to her roots in Colorado for her partner’s career.
“I will greatly miss the wonderful Cultural Affairs team and the arts community here, and will always cherish the work we were able to accomplish together. When the world turned upside down in March of 2020, our work changed significantly—but even through the upheaval I am proud we were able to create new initiatives and approaches to how and why we do the work we do in service to our community. From developing the generative Art of Recovery program that put artists to work on the City’s recovery efforts, to creating the Acknowledge and Reframe Together (Reframe) initiative, which produces public art and civic memory projects that center community voices with the aim of creating a more just and equitable Santa Monica, we have built impactful programs that serve artists and the community in new ways,” Daut said in a farewell note.
