Reaching new heights with Andrew Nitkin, Director of Office Administration
Wharton Arts has a new Director of Office Administration: Andrew Nitkin took on the newly created role this season in addition to retaining his duties as Director of Education. A seasoned arts administrator, Nitkin has worked at Wharton Arts as both a faculty and staff member since September 2005.
Q: How has your job changed as Director of Office Administration?
A: I am now overseeing all office administrative functions of Wharton Arts as opposed to only the Performing Arts School. My position has changed constantly over the years spanning across all programs of the organization.
Q: What are some of the titles you’ve held through the years here at Wharton Arts?
A: Registrar, Online Registration and Information Manager, Director of Admissions, Director of Student Services, Director of Education and Office Administration, Interim Executive Director
Q: Whew! That’s quite a list. And in addition to those functions, you teach guitar at the Performing Arts School as well?
A: Yes. I currently teach a half dozen students, two days a week.
Q: What are some things you hope to accomplish in your new role?
A: I think it is important now more than ever to explore ways of reaching new communities with our mission of providing the highest quality performing arts education to a wide range of students.
To that end, I am very interested in expanding our contract services to other parts of the state, both for in-school and after school programs. I would also like to see new programs servicing our senior and adult populations at the Performing Arts School. We have a thriving adult division with nearly two dozen lifelong learners taking lessons in flute, cello, piano, saxophone, guitar, voice, and chamber music, but we need constantly to ask, “Are we reaching everyone we could?”
Our CAFÉ Program, made possible in part by a HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, has allowed us to provide a much-needed creative outlet for those ages 55+. In its second year, we were able to offer the residents of Brighton Gardens of Mountainside 8 weeks of classes followed by a holiday performance for friends and family at their weekly social hour in December.
And finally, working with the newly-minted Berkeley Heights YMCA across the street will help facilitate our vision as well.
Andrew Nitkin is currently the Director of Education and Office Administration at the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts and has been on staff since 2005. He is also a faculty member teaching guitar and was the Founder/Director of the American Institute of Guitar in New York City for three decades previously before joining WIPA.