About MAC

Montana Arts Council Staff

Arlynn Fishbaugh

Arlynn Fishbaugh is the Executive Director of the Montana Arts Council, a position she has held since 1992. Known to her colleagues as Arni, she grew up on a wheat farm in Carter, Montana, near Fort Benton-the birthplace of Montana. Her grandparents were homesteaders in the area.

She received her undergraduate degree in theatre from the University of Montana, Missoula, and a Master's in Theatre Management from UCLA.

Her career has centered in the field of arts marketing, having held positions at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis and with Houston Grand Opera's touring division, Texas Opera Theatre. She also served for five years as the Associate Director of Marketing for the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Following this position, she became Executive Director of the National Video Corporation's Direct Marketing division in NYC.

She currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) and is also on the board of directors of Grantmakers in the Arts. Arni is the 2010 recipient of NASAA’s Gary Young Award for Outstanding Services to the State Arts Agency field, and is a former member of the board of directors of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) and the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF).