Executive Director Anand Kalra Announces November Departure from QCC
After more than two years of service, Queer Cultural Center’s (QCC) Executive Director Anand Kalra has announced he will be transitioning from the organization at the end of November 2024. As members of the Board of Directors, we express our immense gratitude for the incredible hard work and deep care Anand has shown in his stewardship of the organization.
Anand took the helm at a pivotal time in QCC’s history, continuing Natalia Vigil’s work to bring the organization through a transition from being mostly volunteer-run to a mature nonprofit. Jumping in at such a time of change is no easy task, but with characteristic drive and passion, Anand has greatly furthered that effort: QCC now has four full-time staff, a budget of over $1 million, and mounts programming year-round.
Through Anand’s vision and strategic leadership, QCC has expanded its capacity, building the necessary infrastructure to grow sustainably and better serve the LGBTQ+ arts community. The organization has relaunched the Creating Queer Communities artist professional development program at two levels and offers comprehensive fiscal sponsorship services to a wide range of LGBTQ+ cultural groups. Additionally, QCC continues to lift up queer artists across disciplines through its signature National Queer Arts Festival, now twice a year. This growth has positioned QCC as a pillar of LGBTQ+ cultural expression and support.
“We are deeply grateful to Anand for his incredible accomplishments,” said QCC Board President Elena Rose Vera. “It’s not an exaggeration to say that QCC is a much more robust organization because of his work. He leaves us on very strong financial footing, with more capacity than ever to support queer artists and arts organizations. On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, we wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.”
“My time as executive director at Queer Cultural Center has brought me immense personal growth,” said Anand, “and I treasure the work our team has done together in these last two years. I see a long and beautiful future for QCC and look forward to seeing the fruits of our labor from a comfortable seat in the audience.”
The Board is working closely with Anand and QCC staff to ensure there will be a smooth leadership transition and expects no disruptions to QCC’s services and programming. The Board has already begun an executive leadership search process and anticipates hiring an interim executive director in the coming months. If you or someone you know is interested in applying, please see our jobs page for more information.
We invite those who are passionate about LGBTQ+ arts and cultural leadership to stay tuned for updates on the search for our next executive leadership! If you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected].