Ojai Valley News Blog

Demitri Corbin

Arts commissioner latest to apply for vacated position

By Sondra Murphy

Actor and Ojai Arts Commissioner Demitri Corbin has thrown his hat into the ring for a City Council opening. Corbin joins attorneys Paul Blatz and Leonard Klaif on the list of official applicants.

Finding a council member replacement has been a focus of the city since Joe DeVito announced his retirement in October. On Dec. 8, the Ojai City Council voted 3-2 in favor of appointing a replacement for the position vacated by DeVito, who submitted his resignation effective Dec. 31. DeVito’s term would have naturally expired in 2010. His successor will therefore only fill the position until next December, and so will need to run as a candidate on the November ballot to have a chance of continuing on the council.

Corbin is an eight-year resident of Ojai and a professional actor. His work teaching theater brought him to the city, but its rich artistic community compelled him to move here. “I was volunteering with a youth theater program,” said Corbin. “The Virginia Avenue Project comes up here every year, so I came here with that and then decided to stay.”

A Chicago native, Corbin founded Peachtree Theater Company, a nonprofit organization that brings theater education to schools throughout Ventura County, which led to the creation of Cardboard Fairytale Theater workshops for fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students. Before moving to Ventura County, Corbin volunteered to work with at-risk youth in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

As a resident, he continued teaching performing arts and estimates he has taught about 6,000 youngsters since at many schools and organizations in the Ojai Valley, including Oak Grove, Montessori, San Antonio Elementary, Summit Elementary and Valley Oaks Charter schools. “In the two years since the arts grant program has been re-instated, 100 percent of the applications have been for educational outreach programs,” said Corbin. “As an arts educator I am aware of the vital role the education sector plays in the local economy and how Ojai’s innovative arts programs impact education throughout the county. As council member I will bring insight to the education sector and how the city can be of better service.”

Corbin has also served as a volunteer, board member, instructor and advisor to the Ojai Playwrights Conference, Ojai Film Festival, Theater 150, Ojai Shakespeare Festival and Ojai Performing Arts Theater Foundation. “Their representation is crucial to any plans to build tourism,” he said. “Serving as a council member I will lobby to increase the Arts Commission’s capacity to apply for public and private funding by utilizing the city’s nonprofit status.”

He said his decision to apply for the council seat followed careful consideration after the city’s agreeing to help promote tourism to Ojai. “I want to be on City Council because I think I would bring insight into the arts community when decisions are made,” Corbin said. “All of these things lend to the profile that Ojai has as an artists’ community.”

He addressed the subject further in his letter. “Along with my fellow commissioners I have successfully lobbied to reinstate the city’s arts grant funding and improved the city’s relationship with the performing arts community with a monthly meeting program. I feel strongly that as the chamber of commerce works to build tourism that Ojai’s vibrant arts community is essential to plans for branding Ojai as a tourist destination.”

Corbin believes filling the position from within will most benefit the city, especially because of ongoing projects like the Ojai Skate Park and Libbey Bowl reconstruction efforts. “I feel that appointing someone within the city government will give continuity to immediate agenda items and make way for a smooth transition to a newly elected official.”

He brings other ideas, as well. “My Arts Commission appointment came about because of my publication of the ‘2007 Men of Ojai Calendar.’ The ‘2010 Men of Ojai Calendar’ is the most complete arts event calendar with the dates of every important Ojai arts event available at the time of publication,” said Corbin. “Along with my fellow commissioners, I have been working to get an events calendar on the city web site for the past year. An events calendar on the city web site is a must for boosting tourism.”

The OVN will report on any additional applicants for the council seat as they submit papers to the city.