Helen French is the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance’s new director

The St. Petersburg Arts Alliance has found its new executive director. And she’s been hiding in plain sight.

Helen French, whose name is synonymous with dance in St. Petersburg, was chosen by the Arts Alliance board to succeed Terry Marks, who departed in May.

With a start date of Aug. 1, French will be the third leader in the arts support organization’s 13-year history. Marks stepped in for founder John Collins upon his retirement in 2021.

Photo by Tom Kramer.

A graduate of Gibbs High School’s Pinellas County Center for the Arts, the former Helen Hansen is the co-founder of the St. Petersburg Dance Alliance, and the city’s annual Beacon Dance program, as well as one of its principle performers. She is well-known for her creative collaborations with artists, musicians and other dancers.

She holds a BFA in Dance from the Juilliard School, and toured the world as principal dancer with New York’s prestigious Buglisi Dance Theatre, for which she also created choreography.

Since returning to her hometown in 2014, French and her husband John have put down a whole new set of roots. They have two children.

“I love where I came from,” French told the Catalyst. “I love the vibrancy of the city, and the artist community, and so for this opportunity to arise as a way for me to give back, to serve the community and take what I’ve learned and continue learning, it feels like homecoming. And the right thing to be doing.”

She previously served as Chair of the SPAA Board of Directors, and also held a key fundraising and development role at the Palladium Theater. “Her rare blend of artistic excellence, nonprofit experience and community-centered leadership makes her uniquely qualified to guide the SPAA into its next chapter,” board chair Ryan Griffin said in a prepared statement.

French said her vision includes finding ways to raise the profile of the performing arts in St. Pete.

“As the tide rises, we all rise,” she explained. “And I think now we’re in a great moment for the performing arts to really come out and continue to blossom. We have an amazing visual artist community; there’s so many things to go to. It’s wild how much is going on, compared to how much didn’t go on when I was a child!

“And I think our city is really ready to embrace the performing arts in a bolder way. Not just dance, but I think all performing arts are ready to say ‘Look, we’re here too.’ We’re already collaborating with visual artists. So I think we’re in the right moment.”

The St. Petersburg Arts Alliance’s mission is to drive arts-related economic development and funding, advocating for art and artists, and “educating at all levels.” It’s best known for the SHINE Mural Festival, which takes place in the fall, and for its monthly Second Saturday ArtWalk.

“We’re here because of all the groundwork that John and Terry have done over the years,” she said. “Our visual arts community is growing, and our performing arts community is growing. They’re different experiences, and I think we have to do maybe a better, bigger, bolder job about getting people on board to have those experiences.”

As for the trials, tribulations and economic realities all artists face, she says she’s ready to roll up her sleeves and work on getting the right answers.

Although she’s no longer calling herself Helen Hansen French (after 15 years of marriage, she figures the maiden name is kind of superfluous), there’s one thing that will not change.

“I think it’s important for me to keep dancing, to keep not only my sanity, but … I’m an artist,” French smiled.

“And artists and leadership can go hand in hand.”

St. Petersburg Arts Alliance website.