Mission

Heron Arts was formed around a broad mission to support the arts and culture in San Francisco, aiming to connect artist, audience, and experience in a number of ways:

• Exhibiting contemporary work in the gallery context
• Supporting community engagement with the arts via local programming
• Sponsoring globally relevant cultural productions in San Francisco

Team

Heron Arts was founded in 2013 by Mark Slee, an active member of San Francisco's creative community, organizing events since the mid-2000s. Prior to Heron Arts, Slee was a member of Facebook's product design and development team. He is joined by director Tova Lobatz, pursuing ambitious programming that encompasses eclectic installations alongside traditional gallery exhibitions.

Lobatz was formerly the youngest director of a prominent gallery in San Francisco and founded the public arts organization Art City. In the summer of 2014, she was the head curator of the highly successful public art advertising takeover Way Out West.