Coney Island USA Names New Executive Director

The Board Directors of Coney Island USA is announcing the appointment of Earl Lawrence Tucker as its new Executive Director. Earl's leadership and management experience as a non-profits arts director will bring new energy to build and expand Coney Island USA's programming and facilities as we promote American popular culture to new generations and new audiences through innovative exhibitions and performances. Earl's history as a both a showman and arts administrator is completely in line with Coney Island USA's desire to carry its mission forward into the future.

According to Dick Zigun, Founder and Artistic Director of Coney Island USA, "The hiring of Earl Tucker as Executive Director lets Coney Island USA transition to the next level as a cultural landmark institution that will serve the arts in Coney Island for at least another 35 years. I look forward to working with Earl for a long time as I'm not going anywhere!!"

Earl has a background as an Arts Management Consultant, guiding strategic planning, business plan development, fund development campaigns and potential public program offerings for nonprofit arts organizations. A native New Yorker, he enjoys a performance background in three disciplines; violin, voice and dance. He is a graduate of LaGuardia School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, holds a Bachelors of Science in Music from Indiana University School of Music, Bloomington Indiana and a Masters in Arts Administration from New York University. Recently an Interim-Executive Director at Martina Arroyo Foundation he has held positions which include: Director of Trinity Concerts Inc., Director of Performing Arts at Wave Hill, The Fund for the Borough of Brooklyn, Jamaica Arts Center and was Development Director for Source Music Inc.

Mr. Tucker was a Visiting Professor at Oklahoma University a member of the adjunct faculty of the Borough of Manhattan Community College from 1984-1997. In 2003 he was invited to serve on the Music Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts and was subsequently re-appointed in 2004 and '08. He has also served on the New York State Council on the Arts Presenting Panel, the Program Development Fund Panel of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Bronx Council on the Arts Advisory Panel on Tourism and most recently served as an adjudicator for the Lower Manhattan Cultural Councils' MCAF panel 2015.

ABOUT: Coney Island USA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization based in the amusement park area of the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn New York at 1208 Surf Ave. In existence since 1980, Coney Island USA has developed and produces a number of different programs including some of New York City's best loved summer programming, such as the Mermaid Parade and the Coney Island Circus Sideshow. Coney Island USA also operates the Coney Island Museum and produces Ask the Experts, Burlesque at the Beach, Funhouse Philosophers, the Coney Island Tattoo and Hot Rod Festival, Congress of Curious Peoples and the Coney Island Sideshow School. Coney Island USA also produces the Coney Island Film Society and the Coney Island Film Festival in association with indiefilmpage.com.