Claire Rice

Claire Rice is currently the Executive Director of Arts Alliance Illinois, a statewide service and advocacy organization that champions arts-supportive policies and funding opportunities to benefit all Illinois residents. Under her leadership, the Alliance recently received a nonprofit innovation award for their work managing the $7 million for Illinois Relief Fund, a public-private partnership between the State of Illinois, City of Chicago, private philanthropy, and grassroots donors supporting the arts community in response to COVID-19. Previously, she was the National Director of Sustain Arts at Harvard University, a project that equipped communities with meaningful data on arts and cultural activity. She has also served as the Director of Education at UMS, a 131-year-old performing arts presenter bringing renowned artists in dance, music, and theater to Ann Arbor, Michigan. There, Ms. Rice was the associate producer on a Grammy Award-winning live concert recording and produced a month-long residency with the Royal Shakespeare Company. She was selected as an author for the arts leadership book 20 Under 40, published in 2010.  From 1998-2003, she was a management consultant for Accenture, working with Federal and State government clients in Washington DC. Ms. Rice received her BA from The College of William and Mary, and her MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.