Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture Names Mike Buhler New President & CEO

Long-time Head of San Francisco Heritage to lead organization’s recovery and continued historic preservation efforts

October 29, 2020

(San Francisco, Calif.) – The Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture (FMCAC) Board of Directors announced today that it has appointed Mike Buhler President and CEO. Currently serving as the President and CEO of San Francisco Heritage, Buhler brings extensive executive and non-profit leadership experience to the position. For more than two decades, Buhler’s career has focused on preserving historic buildings, districts, and cultural resources. At FMCAC, Buhler will leverage that background to preserve and program Lower Fort Mason’s National Historic Landmark District.

Buhler joins FMCAC at a time of great opportunity. With its rejuvenation of campus activities, amenities, and tenants on-going, FMCAC looks to adapt to new cultural needs emerging from this unique moment in history. FMCAC additionally looks to continue preserving the landmark campus including the renovation of Pier 3.

“Mike’s extensive experience advocating for, preserving, and managing historic landmarks makes him the perfect leader for Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture in this pivotal moment,” said Dennis Williams, Chair, FMCAC Board of Directors. “His vision for elevating our cultural history buttresses our on-going commitment to supporting artists and arts organizations.”

For the past 10 years, Buhler has served as President and CEO of San Francisco Heritage, the city’s leading historic preservation nonprofit membership organization. In that position, he oversaw all aspects of operations, advocacy, fundraising, and programming, including arts collaborations at its two historic properties, the Haas-Lilienthal House and the Doolan-Larson Building, located at the corner of Haight and Ashbury. During his tenure, SF Heritage more than doubled its annual budget and successfully completed its first comprehensive capital campaign in 2018.

“Historic places and gathering spaces will be essential to rebuilding community in the pandemic’s aftermath,” said Buhler. “As such, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture is poised to play a crucial role in the city’s recovery and healing. Through innovative programs such as FORT MASON FLIX, the historic campus and its iconic piers have remained a magnet for residents and visitors to experience the vibrancy and diversity that define San Francisco.”

Mr. Buhler will begin as FMCAC’s President and CEO in January 2021.

About Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture (FMCAC)

A decommissioned military installation converted into a nonprofit cultural center, FMCAC hosts a lively mix of arts, educational, and cultural programming. Each year FMCAC provides more than $2 million in support to local arts organizations, enabling groups to produce diverse and innovative artworks at the historic waterfront campus. With a four-decade history as an arts and culture destination, FMCAC is now focused on reinvigorating its programming and amenities to better engage the evolving Bay Area creative community. Central to this new vision is the commissioning and presentation of adventurous and unconventional artworks best realized in nontraditional or historic settings.

With normal campus activity diminished due to public health restrictions, FMCAC recently launched FORT MASON FLIX, San Francisco’s first drive-in movie theater. Since opening in September, the pop-up drive-in has offered San Franciscans a safe and popular entertainment option. Featuring family favorites, cult classics, blockbuster hits, and arthouse cinema, the boutique drive-in regularly sells out. For more information visit, fortmason.org

Media contacts: Nick Kinsey, FMCAC (415) 828-0461, Nick@fortmason.org