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 sits on the board of the national service organization, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) based in Washington, D.C., and is a member of the Executive Committee on the board of directors of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA). Arni has been a frequent speaker on arts marketing and tour marketing for colleges, universities, state and regional arts agencies throughout the years. She has served as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts and has served on the Board of Trustees for the Western States Arts Federation.