Barbara Mumby-Huerta New Director of Community Investments

SAN FRANCISCO – After a nationwide search, the San Francisco Arts Commission is pleased to announce that Barbara Mumby-Huerta is the new program director for the Commission’s Community Investments Program. The Community Investments Program is responsible for the Arts Commission’s grants program, which includes the Cultural Equity Endowment Fund, the Cultural Centers Special Fund, four cultural center buildings, arts education initiatives, and the Street Artist’s Licensing Program.

“We are thrilled to announce the promotion of Barbara Mumby-Huerta,” says Director of Cultural Affairs Tom DeCaigny. “She brings an incredible set of skills and experience to her new role. We have no doubt that she will be impactful in improving the health of San Francisco’s arts sector and advancing racial equity in the arts and in our community.”

Many already know Barbara in her role as Senior Program Officer, which she has held since 2014. During that time, she was instrumental in developing a grantmaking strategy, streamlining the Arts Commission’s grants program, implementing an online grants management system, creating the Artistic Legacy grants program, and leading a team in executing over 200 grants annually, all through an equity lens. In addition, she represents the Arts Commission on the Arts Loan Fund Steering committee and the Funding Advisory Committee for the City of Oakland.

Issues pertaining to equity have always been a driving force for Barbara, who was born and raised in California’s Central Valley, and where her family’s Native American heritage and work as migrant farmers greatly influenced her passion for social justice. Barbara is an accomplished visual artist in addition to her several decades of experience working with non-profit organizations.   Prior to SFAC, Barbara designed and implemented large-scale early childhood education initiatives and grant programs in both Alameda and Merced County through their respective First 5 organizations. After obtaining her undergraduate degrees in Native American Studies and Studio Arts from the University of California Berkeley, she went on to obtain her Master’s degrees in Museum Studies and Business Administration from the John F. Kennedy University, with a thesis focused on international repatriation of Native American cultural property. 

In her new role as Director of Community Investments, Barbara will be able to build upon this work and her extensive experience to further support the changing arts ecosystem in San Francisco.