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A cooler place

Andy Boxberger's vision of the arts, success

Andy Boxberger, photography by Ellie Bogue

Andy Boxberger, attorney at Carson Boxberger with the enviable offices in the Harrison overlooking both Parkview Field and downtown, got involved in Arts United soon after returning to Fort Wayne after law school, thanks to a Leadership Fort Wayne internship.

He remains very involved, as chairman of the board of directors and chair of the strategic planning task force, among other posts. He does not have any particular expectations that, in 60 years, a reporter will be interviewing another young person who will have been paired with Andrew Boxberger for a story on Arts United’s 120th anniversary.

“I’m happy to be a leader, if that’s what’s needed,” he said, “but ultimately — and I’ve said this to people before and it’s not the most tactful or professional way to say it — I just want Fort Wayne to be a cooler place.

“That’s what motivates me. That creates opportunities for art. It creates opportunities for business. It creates opportunities for growth.”

He sees Arts United as a community leader and catalyst, and with Arts United, he’s confident Fort Wayne has the right approach to achieve what he, we and every other city in the country are looking for.

“Everyone would agree arts and culture is a huge factor in quality of life in our community,” he said. “I know business and government agencies are focusing on quality of life in Fort Wayne in attraction and retention of talented people. I think the arts in the broad definition plays a bigger role than anything. Arts United is a huge leader in our cultural development in our community.”

First of six celebrations of Arts United’s 60th anniversary.

Editor’s note
As it rolls out its annual fund drive and celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2015, Arts United, the third oldest united not-for-profit arts fund in the United States, has just successfully completed one strategic plan (you can see it in the busy Arts Campus on East Main Street and everywhere else its partner and member arts groups are at work) and is preparing for the next. To celebrate, it is saluting the work of six of its founders. Fort Wayne Magazine is proud to join the celebration by profiling six of today’s Arts United leaders who are continuing the work by Living the Legend, once each month through June. This month, Founder Sam Rea, the founding president of the Fort Wayne Fine Arts Foundation, now known as Arts United, was the inspiration for profiling 2015 Board Chairman Andy Boxberger. The two share an awareness of how important the arts and culture are to economic development in Greater Fort Wayne

Sam Rea 1917-2010
Sam Rea was the founding president of Fort Wayne Fine Arts Foundation, now known as Arts United. In 1955, under his leadership, Arts United was created to coordinate, support and develop arts and cultural activity in our region, a mission that still holds true 60 years later. As a State Representative in 1965, Mr. Rea advocated for tax levies to ensure long-term public support for arts and culture. Today, our community still benefits from his leadership and advocacy for the arts and their role in economic development in Greater Fort Wayne.

An invitation from Arts United
With one gift to Arts United you can personally share in supporting over 60 arts and culture organizations in Northeast Indiana, enhancing the quality of life in our vibrant community. Give today at www.artsunited.org or by mailing your contribution to Arts United, 300 E Main St. Fort Wayne, IN 46802. For more information on how to give pleas contact Rena Burden, Director of Development at (260) 424-0646 or rburden@artsunited.org.

First appeared in the January 2015 issue of Fort Wayne Magazine.

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