Deborah Venezia, Neighbor

Deborah Venezia is the director of Arts DuPage, a countywide arts council under the wing of DuPage Foundation, where she works continuously to raise the visibility of the arts for the betterment of DuPage County and its residents. In partnership with the Arts DuPage Advisory Committee, she leads the effort to support, promote, and advocate for the arts in the region. By building connections within the arts and culture sector, stimulating community engagement, and providing various opportunities for the advancement of the over 400 artists and arts leaders involved with the initiative, Arts DuPage has become a reliable resource under Deborah's direction. She also maintains artsdupage.org, an online guide to arts and entertainment, and oversees Arts DuPage Month, an annual localized celebration of the arts.

In addition, Venezia runs the Naperville Riverwalk Fine Art Fair and is the founder and executive director of the After Hours Film Society, a 1,200-plus-member not-for-profit organization established in 1989.