After 32 years of working at R.M. Palmer, Tish Davis took a leap of faith. Over time, her adoration for music grew deeper, from participating in church choirs to spending decades volunteering at festivals. She’s able to channel that passion daily to champion music and the arts in Berks.
Q: When did your love for music and the arts develop?
I was raised in church, so as far as music goes, I was in children’s choir and then youth choir. So, music has always been a part of my life; it feels like forever. As for the arts in other areas, I was introduced to it when I started volunteering at the Jazz Fest in the 1990s. That’s when I got to see all the other things Berks Arts did besides music.
Q: What prompted your tenure as a volunteer?
I went to a show at what was then known as the Rajah on Sixth Street in Downtown Reading and bumped into my cousin, Janet. Her husband, Stan, was a production manager. I walked out on stage one day and asked if I could help them with anything. Eventually, I started scheduling all of my vacation time around the festivals. I got to work the job I loved at the time while doing what I was really passionate about and being around the music. It was great. I started as a hospitality stage hand and then moved up to stage manager.
Q: When did you realize you wanted to transition to a full- time role in the arts?
It was secretly something that I had been praying about like, “Lord, I raised my family with the job that I had. Thank you, but now I would love to do what feeds my soul more than what I have to do to make ends meet.” So, when a full-time position was presented to me, it was kind of a no-brainer. Going from what I was hired to do two years ago to now being able to move forward and grow the organization is really exciting.
Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
It’s still mostly music related. Music feeds my soul. Before I took this role, I would travel to work at other festivals in other cities. I also have six grandchildren. I love spending time with them, and the babies are everything. They enjoy music as well. My oldest grandson, Kevin, is 14, and he has been singing in church in the youth choir and in school. He loves to sing. And then my oldest granddaughter, who’s 7, takes piano lessons.
Q: What’s something that excites you most about this new role?
I would love to be able to bring some of the other programs such as Fast Lane Art into the forefront of what Berks Arts does. Fast Lane Art is a program where students across the schools in Berks County can submit their artwork and win scholarships. The nice thing about that is their artwork also has the chance to be placed on local buildings and businesses. It’s a way to brighten up the community and showcase students’ talents. These pieces are just amazing, and they tell such a story. Putting art on every empty window or empty building would be the ultimate dream.
Learn More
Near and Far. Tish’s work as a stage manager has taken her all over the East Coast, including Rehoboth Beach, DE, Charleston, SC and Atlanta, GA.
Support Local Art. Learn more about volunteer opportunities and upcoming events like student art showcases, getJazzed music education and more at Berks Arts by visiting berksarts.org.
