The Carson Center for the Performing Arts (Carson Center) has named Brian Wilson as Executive Director, and Arts Consulting Group (ACG) extends its congratulations on his leadership appointment. He began his tenure on December 29, 2025.
Founded in 2004, Carson Center of Paducah, Kentucky, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Carson Center’s mission is to serve the Four Rivers region by presenting exceptional live performances and cultural experiences that entertain, educate, and enrich the community. The idea for Carson Center emerged in the 1990s as part of a broader vision to revitalize downtown Paducah and provide a venue capable of hosting large-scale productions for the region. Construction began in 2001, and the facility opened to the public in 2004 with a gala celebration and inaugural performance season.
“Paducah is home,” Wilson said. “I was born and raised on the rivers that run through it. Though my career has taken me across the country to lead major venues and cultural institutions, the roots of who I am were formed in western Kentucky. Returning now feels like more than a professional step; it feels like giving back to the community that shaped me.”
His family still lives in Marshall and McCracken counties, and his family’s history connected to the rivers has shaped his affection for the local marine industry.
Since graduating from Illinois State University in 2003 with a degree in business administration, Wilson has spent 20 years on the West Coast, most recently managing Portland5 Centers for the Arts in Portland, Oregon, one of the nation’s top five performing arts centers. He also served as a manager for the Anaheim Convention Center and March Field Air Museum in Riverside, both in California.
Carson Center board chair David Culbertson said Wilson was the unanimous top pick from 70 applicants.
“Brian brings a special energy and expertise,” Culbertson said, “as well as a love for the arts and for this area. He is committed to the Carson Center’s mission of enhancing the quality of life for people of all ages in our region through the arts, and we are confident he will lead the Carson Center successfully into its third decade.”
ACG is the leading provider of hands-on interim management, executive search, revenue enhancement, strategic planning & community engagement, and facilities & program planning and research services for the arts and culture industry. ACG consultants are located in communities across the United States and Canada to best serve the needs of our clients. ACG team members have decades of combined senior leadership experience in every artistic and cultural discipline and area of functional management expertise.