diane batson-smith

Diane’s Bio

Diane has enjoyed a varied career in the arts, starting with her formation of a reparatory company in Roanoke, Virginia to receiving a variety of Emmys and Academy Awards for Hollywood motion picture studios, and as an independent film producer.

She was the senior producer and project supervisor for Dreamworks SKG, a project director and producer for Home Box Office, a studio executive for Walt Disney Productions, and a co-producer for Paramount Pictures.

Prior to leaving her executive director position at the Chenango Arts Council, Diane held many positions at arts organizations in New York City. As the executive director for the Kennedy Center honoree, Martina Arroyo’s foundation, she managed strategic planning and fundraising, and accelerated the foundation’s financial capacity to twice its original size. As the manager of season sales and patron giving for Carnegie Hall, American Ballet Theatre, NY Philharmonic, and Jazz at Lincoln Center, she increased overall donations by more than 20 percent annually.

Diane has been an exhibiting artist for over 15 years, a producer and a steering committee member for The Nashville Film Festival, The Nashville Jewish Film Festival, The LA Directors Guild Student Film Competition Awards, The New York Digital Film Festival, and an originating producer of Visualizations Gallery in Manhattan, which designed the first instillation of video artists — including Nam June Pike. She has created literary programs and coalitions for emerging female writers in poetry and playwriting. Diane has a BA in graphic design and illustration, a BA in Theater and English from Hollins Women’s College, an MFA from NYU Grad Film, and is certified in Conflict Resolution and Mediation from NYU Law School.