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John Bryan

John Bryan has the wisdom and confidence of a man who has spent a lifetime devoted to serving his community.

As associate dean of Virginia Commonwealth University's School of the Arts , he saw the art department rise in academic and artistic reputation. He was responsible for development campaigns of up to $300 million and cultivating funding from individuals, corporations, foundations and government agencies. He created the Arts Heritage Society , which recognizes those who support the School of the Arts and its students.

After his work at VCU, he worked as a development officer at the American Sportsfishing Association . He had a brief tenure as vice president of advancement at the Baptist Theological Seminary of Richmond before the Arts Council of Richmond recently named him their new president.

Truly a noteworthy Richmond figure, Bryan comes off as being full of inner peace, but his ambition for the future remains staggering. But don't take our word for it:

This month you replaced interim president Larry Moffett at the Arts Council of Richmond. How's it working out so far?

Great, I'm having fun.

You were the vice president of advancement at the Baptist Theological Seminary -- obviously faith is important to you. How does that relate to heading the Arts Council?

There's a direct analogy: The Seminary's type of faith was the same type I was brought up with in Tennessee … the Baptist church in its traditional form has no creed or written statement; an individual is left to determine his or her own path. In the late 1970s and 80s, a fundamentalist element took over and prescribed a set of beliefs, causing moderates to break away from the church. That's why the seminary was founded.

At the BTSR, they give their students a thorough grounding in Hebrew and Greek, and students are responsible for intellectual inquiry and determining their own belief system. Just as the Seminary inspires students to think for themselves, so does art at is very best. It makes you think and consider the poignant aspects of life.

What was your favorite moment as the associate dean at VCU's School of the Arts?

My job was to raise money, so all of my favorite moments had to do with seeing the donors' joy upon watching the money they donated come to fruition through various art projects.

What was it like seeing VCU change so much over the years, becoming a prominent art school?

It was interesting. I came in in 1981 and I was there for 23 years. During that time, the computer arrived, and a new dean, Rick Toskin, decided he was going to make the art school a player on the international scene. He expected everyone who worked for him to have an updated passport. It was exhilarating.

You were a development officer at the American Sportsfishing Association. Where do you like to fish? What fishing tips can you give our readers?

I fish wherever's closest to me. I live near Byrd Park, so I go down there for about five minutes every now and then. When I'm traveling, I just pick the closest blue spot on the map.

On one end of the fishing spectrum, you have a person who casts a line out and sits back and drinks a beverage … on the other end, where I am, you keep changing your method until you crack the code and find what works for you. Everyone enjoys it equally, and there are many different styles in between those two ends of the spectrum.

What else do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy writing and playing tennis.

What local artist fascinates you the most right now?

There's some fascinating work by Tim Harriss at the Eric Schindler Gallery . I've been a fan for a while now, and I met him for the first time at this opening.

What is the most important issue facing art in Richmond … the most important generally?

The most important issue is funding. It always has been and it always will be. Throughout human history, it has been persons of wealth who have enabled the great art to happen.

What can Richmond do to better its own standing in the art world?

We need an organization to market and to advocate. Maybe in the future this could be a role for the art council.

What plans do you have to improve the art community here?

Right now I am evaluating what the arts council is currently doing, and how to make it more effective. In the fall of 2009, the council is going to facilitate an arts funding summit where we gather corporate and foundation money-givers in one venue for a daylong presentation on how to ask for money. The audience will be local people involved in the art community.

In the fall of 2010, we will have a sponsorship summit, where corporate persons who direct sponsorship dollars will speak. In the fall of 2011, the plan is to go live with a website that lists all of this information, tentatively titled "Show Me the Money." It should save art people as well as donors a great deal of time.