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Italian Street Painting Marin (ISPM) has landed a new executive director, tapping longtime arts leader and Mill Valley resident Kevin Marlatt, most recently the arts program coordinator for Mill Valley Recreation and an events producer for the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce’s annual Wine, Beer & Gourmet Food Tasting and its annual Winterfest celebration.

Marlatt steps in as the organization gears up for its major event of the year, the 2016 Italian Street Painting Marin, themed Ciao Bella Roma, in downtown San Rafael on Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26. Italian Street Painting Marin, a program of EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases, showcases the fine art of street painting and supports arts-based programs and experiences for underserved students.

Founded in 1994 by Mill Valley residents Sue and Joe Carlomagno, the organization has relied on a growing community of dedicated volunteers and small part time staff to produce the annual June event in recent years. Sue Carlomagno received a Milley Award in 2011.

“(Kevin) will be an effective leader and is a passionate advocate for the arts and arts education and will help to direct our growth,” says Sue Carlomagno. “We’re excited to have him join the team and to help ensure that this high-quality, captivating community event continues to flourish in years to come.”​

Marlatt began his arts career at the New England Foundation for the Arts in Cambridge Massachusetts, moving to the Bay Area in 1990 and working at a number arts organizations, including San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Performances, Stanford Lively Arts and the Oakland School for the Arts. Marlatt also directed the development of the Arts Education Master Plan for the San Francisco Unified School District and served as the executive director of the Blue Bear School of Music in San Francisco where he led the significant growth of the school’s enrollment, outreach programs and fundraising efforts. 

“The respect and good will that ISPM has established and built upon to further the art of street painting has been incredible,” Marlatt says. “Throughout my career, I’ve believed in the power of arts education and the many ways the arts serve to strengthen community and help people to connect. The arts also have a tremendous capacity to help heal, and being connected to and having the support of the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases makes for a very special collaboration.”



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