AFS Welcomes Holly Herrick as Associate Artistic Director

Austin's film community is about to get a new member: Holly Herrick, who's worked with the Hamptons International Film Festival and the Sarasota Film Festival, among others. Austin Film Society announced today that Herrick has been named to the newly created Associate Artistic Director position, and will start on June 15.

Looking at Twitter posts about the announcement this morning, I realized that Austin will also get a new filmmaker/film writer, since Herrick's husband Michael Tully of Hammer to Nail will be moving with her. The couple currently resides in Brooklyn.

The official press release from AFS is reprinted below with details about the new position and also Herrick's background. I look forward to meeting her this summer.

The Austin Film Society is pleased to announce that Holly Herrick will join the organization as its Associate Artistic Director effective June 15, 2012.

"Our search committee saw in Holly a next-generation leader who embraces the role of film in inclusive community dialogue, advocates for programs that bring economic opportunity to artists, and respects the century-plus history of a great art form," said Rebecca Campbell, AFS Executive Director.

"Holly stood out among many qualified candidates for her passion for our mission balanced by her understanding of what it takes to work toward a collective vision while juggling the details of creative programs," added Campbell.

Herrick most recently served as Programming Deputy Director at the Hamptons International Film Festival, where in addition to film programming, she oversaw many of the Festival's signature programs and special initiatives. Her background includes festival and community programming (Hamptons International Film Festival, the Sarasota Film Festival and the Newport International Film Festival), writing (IFP: Resources and Hammer to Nail) and independent film production (Associate Producer, Septien, 2011, IFC Films).

"For years, I have followed the work of AFS with great admiration for its dedication to the art of cinema and its smartly conceived programs that service the needs of working artists," said Herrick. "It's a dream come true for me to work in the service of an organization with a rich history serving filmmakers and promoting film appreciation."

The Associate Artistic Director is a new position at AFS, representing a consolidated Programs Department encompassing both Artist Services and Exhibition. Herrick succeeds Bryan Poyser, who left AFS in March to pursue full-time filmmaking and teaching, and is currently in production on his new feature The Bounceback.

AFS thanks its search committee including Richard Linklater (filmmaker and AFS Artistic Director), Vikki Loving (InterSource Recruiting), Janet Pierson (SXSW Film Festival) and Chale Nafus (AFS Co-Founder and Director of Programming). Deputy Director Sarah Ann Mockbee managed the search.