And as of Wednesday, Laura Helle’s life got a whole lot busier.

Not only did she learn she was elected a new member of the Austin City Council, Helle was also named the new executive director of an organization near and dear to her heart: The Austin Area Commission for the Arts.

And while she says she is excited to take the new post, she admitted to “some sleepless nights,” before making her final decision to take the job.

“I was happy in my position at Riverland (Community College),” where she was the director of grants and alumni relations.

But her love of art and an appeal by the commission’s board of directors prompted her acceptance.

“We are so impressed with the skill set that she brings to the position,” said board president Mary Anne Wolesky.

Helle’s past experience with building and expansion, as past executive director of the Hormel Historic Home, is invaluable, as are her grant-writing abilities, Wolesky said.

“Those are so important going forward” with plans to expand the restored Historic Paramount Theatre, Wolesky added. Adding a lobby, rest rooms and wings to the theater are on the wish list for the expansion.

Helle said she is ready to embrace that future, which includes three major goals for the organization: addressing the organization’s need for ways to make operating revenue more sustainable; the Paramount expansion; and making a decision as to whether the Austin ArtWorks Center remains at the center’s current location — the space is currently leased — “or should we consider a purchase of the building?” Helle said. The board will continue to weigh the issues, she said.

“You know, five years ago, the only thing we had was the Paramount,” she said. “Now we have the ArtWorks Center, the festival. It’s happened quickly and we’re trying to play catch-up,” she said.

Eliminating a deficit is important, she said. Increasing and diversifying revenue will be a goal. Revenue currently comes from donations, classes, concerts and charitable gambling, but she will be adding a significant amount of grant-writing to the mix in order to leverage all options.

Helle has a bachelor of fine arts from Iowa State University and, in addition to her former post at the Hormel Historic Home, is the former director of vision creation for Vision 2020. She is married to teacher Matt Stobaugh and has an 8-year-old daughter.

The position also makes sense for personal reasons, Helle said: Her heart beats as a visual artist, who works in paint, photography and mixed media.

Welcome Laura Helle to AACA

There will be a public open house and welcome for Laura Helle at the Austin ArtWorks Center at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 22. The public is invited to welcome her to the Austin Area Commission for the Arts and her new role.