Venice Institute of Performing Arts names executive director

The Venice Institute for the Performing Arts has promoted Derek Blankenship to executive director.

Blankenship succeeds Reno (Gennaro) Manne, a popular local longtime tennis coach who served as VIPA executive director from 2021-23. Manne died in March.

VIPA is a nonprofit providing arts education and programming to the community. It also manages the Venice Performing Arts Center, a 1,090-seat theater.

Blankenship, who has been working for VIPA for a year, was previously director of education and general operations.

"I am humbled by the trust that the board of directors and staff have placed in me and I look forward to working with them to build the institute's success and to create even more opportunities for students to learn, grow and express themselves through the arts," Blankenship said in a statement.

In that position, he served more than 2,000 students through the VIPA Apprentice Program and his work with the Venice High School Fine Arts programs. He was also responsible for programming and running the Venice Performing Arts Center.

"Derek has learned about every facet of our organization from hands-on involvement," said Bonnie Hartley, co-founder and secretary/treasurer of  of the VIPA board of directors, in a statement.

Hartley continued, "His passion for and training in the performing arts combined with his enthusiasm for our efforts to enrich the learning experiences we provide the students of VHS make him the ideal person to lead VIPA into our new season and beyond." 

Prior to moving into education and arts management, Blankenship worked professionally as a trumpeter and taught all levels of students for more than 20 years.

He holds a bachelor's degree in Trumpet Performance from Appalachian State University and a master's degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of South Florida. He has also completed post-graduate work as a doctoral fellow and teaching assistant at the University of Oklahoma.