About
Two decades spent making the arts less of a closed door — as a performer, an educator, and a builder of programs that reach the people most often left out.
Annie DiMartino is an arts leader with more than twenty years across performance, education, and nonprofit administration. Trained as an actor — an M.F.A. from California State University, Fullerton, and award-nominated stage work that carried her from Los Angeles to the Kennedy Center and Off-Broadway — she has spent her career building the programs and partnerships that bring the arts to wider audiences.
She led education at Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven and Book-It Repertory in Seattle before joining the Performing Arts Center Eastside, where she rose from founding Education Director to Deputy Director. At PACE she guided the organization's first strategic plan in eighteen years and conceived Arts Without Barriers — a free public-performance program that has reached more than 200,000 people and employed over 150 artists since 2021.
"Access to the arts shouldn't depend on geography, income, or whether someone thinks a theater is 'for them.' The work of leadership is removing those barriers — and proving, with real audiences and real numbers, that the arts belong to everyone."
Deputy Director
Experience
Led PACE through its first strategic plan in 18 years (Real Time Strategic Planning), with a 15-year financial proforma and a phased path to groundbreaking.
Conceived and produced Arts Without Barriers — 200,000+ audiences and 150+ artists since 2021.
Won the City of Bellevue's multi-year Bellwether Arts & Tech Festival producing contract.
Authored the Eastside arts COVID-impact report; program manager for the Eastside Culture Coalition.
Director of Education
Curated a touring season reaching 55,000+ students statewide; adapted and directed productions.
Built a literacy project bridging theatre and classroom reading across three school districts.
Secured grants to expand programming and managed department budgets to or above targets.
Director of Education
Founded the Shake-it-Up Shakespeare summer ensemble (5 seasons) and the NEA-funded Elder Play Project, later featured by TCG.
Built the Educators' Lab into a state-recognized professional-development provider.
Created an award-winning theatre-education PSA for the National Corporate Theatre Fund.
Selected Performance
Originated Dorothy Wordsworth in Grasmere (LA Weekly and OC Theatre Award nominations), reprised at the Kennedy Center and Off-Broadway at Cherry Lane. Company member with ARTFARM in King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, and The Taming of the Shrew. Voice of Destra in the animated film Prodigal Son.
Education
M.F.A. Performance, California State University, Fullerton
B.A. Performance, Central Washington University
Honors & Recognition
Leadership & programs
WFEA Grand Summit, Community Engagement, and Design awards — Arts Without Barriers (2021)
Theatre Education PSA Award — National Corporate Theatre Fund (2013)
Greater New Haven Rising Star — Business New Haven (2013)
Performance
LA Weekly Best Featured Actress nomination — Grasmere (2003)
Multiple KCACTF Irene Ryan acting nominations (1999–2003)
Thespian of the Year — Central Washington University (2000)
