Kerry Murphy
President & CEO, Artisphere
Kerry Murphy has been the show director of Artisphere since 2007. Under her leadership the festival is consistently recognized as a one of the country’s TOP Fine Art & Fine Craft Shows by Art Fair Sourcebook and Sunshine Artist magazine. Kerry oversees all aspects of planning and implementing this three-day multi-disciplinary event that brings more than 70,000 people to downtown Greenville to enjoy a range of activities surrounding the arts. In 2019 the festival made a $9.1 million economic impact on the community.
Prior to joining Artisphere, Kerry served as the Executive Director of Carolina Ballet Theatre, and as a Sponsorship Consultant for Southern Hospitality Group working with such local events as The Cliffs Challenge, a televised golf tournament, and the USA Cycling Pro Championships. She also served as Director of Premium Seat Services and Corporate Partnerships for the BI-LO Center (a 15,000 seat sports and entertainment complex) from start-up to its 5-year anniversary.
Kerry’s civic involvement has included positions on such boards as Fall for Greenville an annual food and music street festival, the Downtown Greenville Business Association, Imagine Nation: The Children’s Museum of the Upstate, the Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Greenville and Vision 2020 Planning Forums. She currently serves as the Chair of the City of Greenville’s Arts in Public Places Commission.
Kerry is a graduate of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Greenville program, was named one of Greenville Magazine’s Best and Brightest 35 and Under and 50 Most Influential as well as a GSA Business 2020 Women of Influence and a Metropolitan Arts Council Visionary Leader in the Arts in 2014.
A native of the Washington DC area, Kerry has lived in Greenville since 1992. She holds a BS in management and an MBA from Clemson University, as well as a MA in Education from Converse College.