John Kotarski
For more than forty years I have helped communities tell their own stories. I believe the local school is the institution best placed to keep doing it.
I began in politics, as an aide to Congressman Donald W. Riegle Jr. from 1966 to 1974. In Flint in the 1980s I turned to art: public art events, gallery shows, performance, and the founding of the Buckham Fine Arts Project and Buckham Alley Theater. As a partner in Fade to Black Productions (1983–92) I produced cable programs, documentaries and commercials.
From 1992 to 2006 I directed the school-based community television station in Mount Clemens. Since then I have consulted with schools and cities, taught civic storytelling in Petoskey and at Ann Arbor’s Community High, and served on the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission.
Education
| Year | Degree or program |
|---|---|
| 2015 | M.Ed., Instructional Technology (Interactive Technologies), Wayne State University |
| 2012 | Research Fellow, SEED Wayne, Wayne State University |
| 2009 | Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (Civic Media), Wayne State University |
| 1992 | Sony Institute of Applied Video Technology |
| 1970 | B.A., Political Science and Economics, University of Michigan |
Community service
| Years | Role |
|---|---|
| 2014–present | Placemaking Leadership Council, member |
| 2012–present | Ann Arbor Public Art Commission, commissioner |
| 1997–2003 | Art in Public Places, Mount Clemens |
| 1991–98 | Flint Telecommunications Advisory Commission, chair |
| 1983–92 | Buckham Fine Arts Project and Buckham Alley Theater, founding member and board |