Eliza Tudor's experience as an arts leader spans the visual, literary, and performing arts across three continents. After ten years in production, from film and theatre in Australia, to opera, Ancient Greek theatre and ballet in the Sierra, Eliza moved to the United Kingdom (UK) to complete her masters degree in cultural policy, tracing its lineage from early 13th century Sicily to contemporary Europe and beyond.
While maintaining her role as senior commissioner for the UK's National Health Service in one of London's most deprived areas, Eliza served as Senior Development Executive – Arts & Humanities at the University of Oxford, while also sitting on the boards of trustees for Magdalen Road Studios – an organization that provides artists with studios, exhibition space and public engagement with contemporary art in Oxford, and Rosetta Life – a group of artists who work with those living with life-limiting illness to shape and share stories that matter through movement, song, image, film, and writing.
Eliza returned to the United States in February 2015 to direct Yuba Sutter Arts, and in 2016 accepted the role of Executive Director of the Nevada County Arts Council. This role implied simultaneous overview of three counties under California Arts Council's State-Local Partnership Program. Since late 2016 Eliza has focused solely on Nevada County Arts Council, and in 2017 gained state recognition for Nevada County by consulting on two successful applications for California Cultural District designation.
She currently sits on the board of directors for California Arts Advocates and Californians for the Arts, and in late 2018 was recognized for her leadership by the California Senate, Congress, and Assembly. Eliza lives with her husband and three children on the Western Slope of the Sierra, where culture seems to thrive despite the absence of policy.
Through her work with both Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District and Truckee Cultural District – supported by impactful local partnerships – she hopes to create, hand in hand with her community, a more sustainable future for the arts.
When asked about her favorite piece of advice, Eliza shared: "It’s between one from Kate Spade who said, ‘Let common sense be your guide and graciousness your goal,’ and one from Aristotle, who said ‘The secret of humor is surprise…’”