With more than 30 years of nonprofit and for-profit arts marketing experience, Darcy Ballew has perfected an efficient project management style and an expertise for relationship-building and problem-solving for prestigious and world-renowned organizations like Cirque Du Soleil, Walton Arts Center/Walmart Amphitheater, Metropolitan Opera, Sarasota Opera, Tri-C JazzFest, and Cleveland Play House.
A seasoned senior arts marketing professional, Darcy has created successful campaigns, proactively promoted, and effectively reacted to crisis management situations for arts organizations across the country.
As Vice President for Communications at Walton Arts Center/Walmart Amphitheater, Darcy developed a systematic and targeted media-mix advertising, sales and public relations strategy that took the organization from a $14 million to $30 million dollar company. While she served as a Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Cleveland Play House, Darcy managed a $1 million budget to develop the marketing, publicity, sales promotions and advertising for its overall branding, show schedule and lobby renovation. She also handled all marketing for the longest running show in Cleveland’s history, “Tony N Tina’s Wedding,” at the Hanna Theatre. She also served as professor of Arts Marketing at Baldwin-Wallace University.
As a Dorsey & Company Associate, Darcy contributes sales and marketing strategy support to various Dorsey & Company client engagements and projects.
Darcy has served on the Board of Directors of Mental Health Services and as its vice president from 2007 to 2009. She also has served on the Small Business Council of the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, and as Interim President of the Cleveland Theater Collective.
Darcy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Otterbein College.