Elliot Knight

Executive Director

Alabama State Council on the Arts

Elliot Knight is the Executive Director of the Alabama State Council on the Arts. An Opelika, Alabama native, Dr. Knight earned three degrees from The University of Alabama, including a Bachelor of Arts in visual communication from New College, a Master of Arts in American studies, and a PhD in interdisciplinary studies. Dr. Knight is a Blackburn Fellow, member of the Montgomery Rotary Club, and serves as a board member for the Alabama Humanities Alliance, Alabama Tourism Department Advisory Board, University of Alabama Community Affairs Board of Advisors, and the Montgomery Area Business Committee for the Arts. Dr. Knight serves as Treasurer and Chair of the Finance and Operations Committee for South Arts. Prior to his work at the Council, Knight co-founded and developed the Black Belt 100 Lenses Program, a participatory photography and arts program that worked with high school students in twelve Alabama Black Belt counties in partnership with the Black Belt Community Foundation and the University of Alabama Center for Community-Based Partnerships from 2007-2012. Knight developed and taught several courses in the University of Alabama Departments of Art History, American Studies, and Honors College. He served as director of the Arts on Campus Living-Learning Community at UA. Knight served as an advisory board member for The Alabama Art Kitchen and the Beauty Amid Destruction project in Tuscaloosa. Prior to becoming Executive Director, Knight held the positions of Visual Arts Program Manager and Deputy Director at the Alabama State Council on the Arts.