Lebanon Opera House Appoints New Executive Director

Joe Clifford, Co-Founder of the Upper Valley Arts Alliance, Shares His Vision

Joe Clifford, a Plainfield (NH) resident, spent 17 years rising through the ranks at the Hopkins Center, and his arts administration roots extend back to the founding of the Upper Valley Arts Alliance. “I consider myself a cultural matchmaker and it’s a rule on which I thrive,” Clifford said. He is excited about his new position at the Lebanon Opera House and the outreach he will achieve.

In 2004, the Upper Valley region of the NH Charitable Foundation envisioned spotlighting the arts as its primary focus. Promoting the “Creative Economy” as a platform, a steering committee produced two major events: A walk-about in White River Junction to various art locations and day-long regional conference in Woodstock with prominent guest speakers. The outcome from these events was the formation of the Upper Valley Arts Alliance.

Working with Joanne Wise of the UVAA, Joe hopes to boost the Alliance’s mission to support and promote the visual, literary, and performing arts in the Upper Connecticut Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont.

Joe Clifford maybe reached at jclifford@lebanonoperahouse.org