Erin Rolfs

Erin Rolfs cringes at the phrase “it girl,” but with her fingerprints all over the coolest happenings in town it’s hard to deny it.

At 25, she has already demonstrated a keen eye for exceptional local art plus cunning marketing savvy. She’s made the Baton Rouge Gallery, where she’s been special events coordinator for the past year and a half, one of the most well-respected exhibitors in town. She also orchestrated the hugely popular Uncommon Thread wearable art show that drew some 1,200 people, and she helped produce a graffiti art exhibition at the Spanish Moon.

“I had to build up confidence in myself and confidence from the Gallery. I had to prove myself and I’m still blown away by its success,” she says.

This year she leaves the Gallery behind, however, to join the public relations team at the Louisiana State Museum. But don’t worry, she’ll continue to push the envelope. Her efforts have also caught the eye of Bill Kelley, the mastermind behind the all-encompassing art Web site, culturecandy.org. He asked Rolfs to be the budding nonprofit’s executive director as it turns three.

Public information officer at the Louisiana State Museum and executive director of Culture Candy

Hometown: Wichita Falls, Texas

25

In addition to the annual Art Car Parade, Culture Candy will sponsor a number of new initiatives, including Arte Rouge, a Baton Rouge version of White Linen Night; Sweet Tooth, an art criticism publication; the House Project, turning condemned buildings into alternative canvases; a residency program, providing a studio and a stipend for one lucky artist; and a series of workshops to educate artists about the financial and business aspects of the art world.

“Art can’t just be this thing we associate ourselves with to feel more cosmopolitan,” Rolfs says. “We have to start educating our artists and ourselves.”

“Erin’s like a universe unto herself, conjuring all manner of possible events and goings-on, each infused with humor, creativity and an eye toward bringing the community together.” —Bill Kelley, creator of Culture Candy