City of Memphis Welcomes DeMarcus Suggs as Director of Creative and Cultural Economy
Innovative Partnership Model Funds New Role
October 22, 2024. Memphis, Tenn. The City of Memphis, with financial support and partnership from the Hyde Foundation, AutoZone, Assisi Foundation, International Paper, and the McEniry Family Foundation, is thrilled to announce the appointment of DeMarcus Suggs as the new Director of the Office of Creative and Cultural Economy. This office, the first of its kind for the city of Memphis, will strategically blend economic development with the city’s rich creative landscape, spanning music, film, dance, visual and culinary arts.
Suggs brings a wealth of experience in revenue growth and cross-agency collaboration and a dedication to fostering an economically vibrant, equitable, artist-led, and community-centric arts sector. Before joining the City of Memphis, Suggs served as the Director of Development for Mid-America Arts Alliance, where he spearheaded a $3.5 million contributed revenue portfolio and played a crucial role in developing the Delta Arts and Culture Ecosystem Initiative strategy. Suggs is also the Founder and Framework Culturist for Kuumbuntu, LLC, and has held positions at organizations such as Alternate ROOTS, The National Center of Choreography at the University of Akron, and the Victorica Theatre Association.
The formation of the City’s Office of Cultural and Creative Economy aligns with Memphis’ identity as a cultural powerhouse and will advance creative and economic opportunities throughout our community. As the office’s Director, Suggs is charged with developing channels and platforms to elevate the City’s creative and cultural talent and assets and grow their presence in the Memphis economy.
Mayor Paul Young expressed his excitement about the position and Suggs’ readiness for the role, “We are excited about this work and the community partnerships that have helped to fund it. Our goal is to strengthen the role that culture and the creative arts play in our local economy. We look forward to the positive impact this work will have on our city and believe DeMarcus’ background makes him perfectly suited to the task at hand.”
The role’s creation, in partnership with multiple funders, signifies Memphis’ commitment to fostering a vibrant and inclusive cultural economy that engages diverse communities and drives sustainable growth.
“In Memphis, arts, culture, and creativity are part of who we are. Leaning into our creative strength and building up our creative economy is essential to our future success,” stated Teresa Sloyan, Hyde Family Foundation President. “We’re thrilled to welcome DeMarcus to Memphis and look forward to supporting his work and the Office of Creative and Cultural Economy.”
For media inquiries, please contact