Founder, Fresh Arts Coalition
Marita Bell Fairbanks founded Fresh Arts Coalition in 2002 in order to strengthen the sustainability and vibrancy of Houston’s arts by bolstering the capacity and professional practice of artists and arts organizations and enhancing the public’s engagement with the arts. In 2012, Fresh Arts Coalition merged with Spacetaker and became Fresh Arts, and the organization continues to serve the arts community in Houston and manages and promotes the newly created Arts District Houston. Previous to founding Fresh Arts, Ms. Fairbanks gained an extensive knowledge of marketing and business development through 12 years in the for-profit sector of the communications, internet and banking industries. As head of marketing for several small and mid-size companies, Ms. Fairbanks developed a number of large-scale marketing and awareness campaigns as well as international development strategies. She has served on the boards of Fresh Arts, University of Texas College of Fine Arts, Glasstire.com, the Alumni Association Board of Governors of the Hotchkiss School, the Audit Committee of St. John’s School and has been actively involved with Texas Children’s Hospital, the Contemporary Art Museum Houston, the Menil Collection, the Blaffer Gallery at the University of Houston, the MFAH Film Committee, and YES Prep. Ms. Fairbanks holds an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurial Studies from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin and a BA in History from Duke University. She and her husband, JB, have four children.