Philadelphia’s cultural officer headed to Denver

Philadelphia’s chief cultural officer is on the way out.

Gary Steuer, chief cultural officer and director of the city’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy since 2008, will be leaving Philadelphia to lead the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation in Denver.

Steuer says he will miss the vibrant arts and cultural activities in Philadelphia.

“It’s really bittersweet because I have really truly enjoyed my work here in Philadelphia,” he said Tuesday. “It’s been really really exciting to be here and to be a part of strengthening the creative sector in the city and shining a light on the extraordinary work that is being done here by so many artists organizations and businesses.”

Steuer says it will be interesting distributing money to arts groups in his new role, but he says he has experience doing that here.

“The work is the work, the work of how you do your job most effectively, how you make a difference raising money,” he said. “While it’s never easy, it’s part of the job of how you … generate the resources to make the impact that you want to make.”

Steuer will leave his job in Philadelphia in October.