With just a little more than a year under his belt, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center's latest executive director, Jerry Ruiz, announced on Wednesday that he's stepping down.
Ruiz is heading to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where he'll be associate artistic director for the university's company in residence, PlayMakers Repertory Company.
“The Guadalupe is a flourishing part of the San Antonio arts scene, and I am proud to have been part of that important community effort,” Ruiz said in a news release announcing his departure.
During his brief tenure, Ruiz made headlines this year when the Gaudalupe pulled out of an all-female CAM Perennial
that didn't include a single Latina artist.
"The lack of diversity in this year’s group of artists, specifically the lack of representation of Latina artists in this year’s edition of the perennial, has forced the organization to make this difficult decision after much deliberation and dialogue with CAM’s leaders," Ruiz said at the time.
Ruiz was the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center's second executive director since 2009. He
followed Patty Ortiz, who resigned in September, 2014. The Guadalupe's board appointed Pedro Martinez, who worked as executive director from 1983 until 1998, as interim after Ortiz left.
Ruiz was hired for the job in April 2015.
Belinda Menchaca will serve as the Guadalupe's associate director during the transitional period and Joel Settles, performing arts director, has been promoted to promotions manager.
The Guadalupe is conducting a national search to replace Ruiz.