Community Star Of Queens Harvey Seifter

Job: As the executive and arts director of the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts, Seifter is responsible for the programming, management and direction of the Flushing organization.
“We do a huge range of music, theater, dance, art and exhibition performances,” he said.
Seifter has been running the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts since September of 2003. He took over for the former founder and director of the organization, Jo-Ann Jones.
Background: Seifter, who earned his B.A. from Brandeis University, has an extensive artistic background.
Having studied violin and conducting at the Cleveland Institute of Music, he’s been the general director of the Magic Theatre in San Francisco, the executive director at the Theater for the New City, and the executive director of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, based out of New York City, which performs around the world.
In addition, Seifter is a senior executive faculty member at Columbia Business School, and wrote Leadership Ensemble, a book published by Times Books.
Family Facts: Married to wife Marge, an advertising and marketing professional, for 10 years. They have a daughter, Joanna, 7.
Rewards of the Job: “There are so many of them, it’s just an amazing community,” he said. “I have the opportunity to develop exciting programs that bring the very best and richest and extraordinary kinds of art and artists to the community. I’m able to draw the creativity out of the community – this is an intensely creative environment. I just feel it’s a privilege to be here.”
Gripes with the Job: “Fundraising is always a challenge,” he said. “It’s not a problem with the job; it’s just the nature of running an art institution.
“It is extraordinarily difficult and demanding and challenging to raise the funds to present the kind of programs we offer,” continued Seifter. “I think we’re making some wonderful progress. But it’s a daily challenge.”