Pompano Beach officials recently selected Ty Tabing to serve as the new Cultural Affairs Director for the city. Tabing’s previous efforts led the Chicago Tribune to name him “Chicagoan of the Year” for his cultural programming excellence. In Pompano Beach, Tabing will manage all the city’s cultural venues and oversee public art. He will also help activate The Crossroads initiative, a cultural trail uniting the Cultural Center, Bailey Contemporary Arts Center and Ali Cultural Arts Center.

“Tabing’s appointment comes at an opportune time for our City,” Earl Bosworth says, Assistant City Manager of Pompano Beach. “The pandemic was challenging for all cultural venues, but it provided us with the time to determine how to better utilize our spaces by layering on more attractions and experiences for our patrons. With Ty’s diverse skill set, he will bring to fruition the tremendous potential to activate our City with arts and culture.”

Tabing’s career began in Chicago with the Department of Planning and Development, where he upgraded the theater district and made The Loop the fastest-growing residential neighborhood in the city. Later, he led the Chicago Architecture Biennial, which garnered global praise for its’ brilliant activations and programming throughout the metro area. In addition, Tabing spent time in Singapore, where he created the programming to drive traffic to the river district. In Wichita, his placemaking initiatives revitalized the city through arts and culture.

“I am thrilled to be working with a city that has become a model for revitalization,” he says. “It’s inspiring to see what has been accomplished so far and what the future vision entails. I look forward to initiating the type of arts and culture programming that will enhance the City’s brand identity and bring some sizzle to the venues. My goal is to create memorable experiences for our residents and tourists, creating a destination everyone will be excited about.”

One of his first initiatives for Pompano Beach will include commissioning a mural inside Bailey Contemporary Arts Center (BaCA) to commemorate the centennial celebration of the historic building and the selection of a young, dynamic and dynamic diverse set of creatives for the Artists in Residence program at the venue.