Edward M. Barksdale

Edward M. Barksdale is the Director at Karamu House. Prior to this, they were the Director of the Department of Arts Education for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District from 2006 to 2015. In this role, they led and coached arts education team of administrators, teachers and consultants in best practices for arts education and integration, effective leadership, strategic planning and maximizing community resources. Edward was also responsible for district-wide visual and performing arts programming including budgeting, operations, strategic planning, program execution / evaluation, stakeholder relationships, branding, marketing, fundraising, staff development and performance appraisal for district wide and arts specialty school programming.

During their time at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Barksdale was able to secure over $1million of support from the Human Fund foundation for arts education programming. Edward also developed and maintained financial oversight and management of a $2 million budget. In addition, they produced and implemented the 2008-2013 Department of Arts Education strategic plan A Premier Future: Unifying Students, Teachers and the Community for Success In and Through the Arts.

Barksdale also produced and co-directed the All-City Musical in partnership with the Great Lakes Theater, Playhouse Square Center and The Musical Theater Project. Additionally, they produced the All-City Arts Rock Your World with STEAM Family Festival in partnership with The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and Great Lakes Science Center which showcased over 2,000 students’ academic and arts achievements.

Edward designed academic and arts curriculum and instructional resources for the All-City Arts program, a project based, multi-discipline in-school and after-school program serving over 18,000 students annually. Furthermore, they conceptualized and implemented the Premier Arts Specialty Schools (PASS) model, an academic and arts infused approach to increase student achievement in grades K-8, endorsed by Dr. James Catterall, as an effective model for student learning in and through the arts. Lastly, they designed and implemented professional development sessions for K-12 arts teachers and teaching artists.

Edward M. Barksdale has a Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Art from Jackson State University, a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre/Acting from Ohio University, and they are a National Arts Strategies Chief Executive Program graduate from Harvard Business School.