Art Works Downtown Elects Prominent San Rafael Businessman, Volunteer and Arts Advocate Sandy Greenblat as Board President.

Art Works Downtown, a non-profit arts organization providing artist's studio spaces, affordable housing, retail shops, and a ceramics studio in the heart of Marin, elects community advocate Sandy Greenblat as president.

San Rafael, CA (I-Newswire) January 8, 2011 - Art Works Downtown elects Sandy Greenblat to succeed Victoria Heiges as Board President of the San Rafael based non-profit arts organization. Mr. Greenblat, Senior Investment Consultant at H&L Commercial Real Estate, is a long-time San Rafael resident and community volunteer. His two-year term commences on January 1, 2011.

Mr. Greenblat has been active in both business and community issues in San Rafael over the past several decades, serving on numerous committees and task forces including the San Rafael General Plan, San Rafael Economic Vision, San Rafael Downtown Plan and St. Vincent-Silveira Task Force. Mr. Greenblat is a Charter Member of North Bay Commercial Brokers, Past President of the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce, and North Bay Business Community Representative to several economic and transportation conferences.

The City of San Rafael acknowledged Mr. Greenblat’s significant achievements by naming him the Citizen of the Year in 2003. Notably, Art Works Downtown has a history of board members with strong community ties – artist and founder Phyllis Thelen received the San Rafael Citizen of the Year Award with her husband Max Thelen in 2009. “Sandy is a proven leader with deep civic ties. He has the ability to build on the connection we’ve established between the arts and our community. His strong leadership skills will be an asset as we enter the next decade.” said Thelen.

Occupying a historic 1879 building that was once Gordon’s Opera House, Art Works Downtown is a 40,000 square-foot arts complex which houses two Art Galleries, 40 Artist’s Studios, 17 Affordable Housing Units, the future Odalisque Café, Marin Jeweler’s Guild, Sweet Spirit Ceramics Center, Framing Interiors custom frame shop, Viva Diva women's clothing boutique and offices of the award-winning Alter Theater Company and Baulines Craft Guild.

“2011 will be an exciting year for Art Works Downtown. We’re revamping our education programs and fundraising strategies, completing major renovations to our historic building, and Odalisque Café will open in the spring. This new gathering spot will facilitate the flow of visitors through the Art Walk by creating passages to the main AWD Gallery and Fourth Street level artist’s studios, which has been one of our long-term goals.” states Greenblat.

Mr. Greenblat has the support of San Rafael Mayor Al Boro in his new role. “Sandy cares deeply about our community and has the vision to see how the arts play an important part in creating a thriving downtown” said Mr. Boro. “I look forward to growing our partnership between the City of San Rafael and Art Works Downtown.”