OFM_PEOPLE_Terry_Olson_1120_DEPT 10 / 29 / 20 4 : 51 PM Page 2 BY BRITTANY ANN MORRISEY people “ From the time I arrived here , I felt like anyone that wants to step up and help shape things is wel - come to do so . It’s not rigid and clique - ridden . ” One of Olson’s most notable projects as director of Orange County’s Arts and Cultural ORANGE COUNTY’S Affairs Office is FusionFest , an annual showcase for the various cultures that coexist in Central ARTS LEADER Florida . Now in its third year , the free , two - day fes - tival takes place the weekend after Thanksgiving Day at the Dr . Phillips Center for the Performing TERRY OLSON Arts ’ Seneff Arts Plaza . Although this year there will be some new TELLS US WHAT provisions in place to inhibit the spread of the coronavirus , FusionFest will still feature much of TO LOOK FORWARD what it has in the past , which is the music , dance , food , visual arts , spoken word and spectacles char - TO AT THIS YEAR’S acterizing the diverse cultures that intersect here in Central Florida . FUSIONFEST . Before the festival officially kicks off , Olson sat down with Orlando Family Magazine to tell us about being , as he puts it , “ Orange County’s Chief Arts Instigator , ” the challenges local arts organizations are facing because of the coronavirus pandemic and what to expect from this year’s FusionFest . What do you do as the director of the Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs Office ? There’s a bunch of hats that I wear . One is ambas - sador to and for the arts within the county . One is the administrator of our program , which involves funding . The county invests $ 6 or $ 7 million a year in our arts organizations . And the county commissions art for new government buildings or renovations . And then I’m a con - Chief Arts nector . One of my biggest assets I’d say is that I’ve been around a long time in the area so if someone wants to do something , start a theater company , I am here to say , “ Oh you should talk to this person , ” or “ Here’s a resource for you . ” And … INSTIGATOR bringing new things to life , like FusionFest . you’re involved in Orlando’s arts scene , then you know Terry Olson . Our arts and culture organizations are facing Besides being director of the Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs a lot of challenges with the coronavirus pandemic . Can you talk a little bit about Office , a position he’s held since the office was created in 2001 , If Olson is those challenges and what you think needs well known for having had a hand in creating some of Central Florida’s most to be done to help these Central Florida venerable arts institutions including SAK Comedy Lab and the Orlando institutions survive ? Fringe Festival . He also had a role in launching the Orlando Theater Project , Well certainly the biggest challenge is not being which ran for 25 years ; and he chaired the Central Florida Theater Alliance for open . And the county just passed $ 5 million of many years until it merged with United Arts of Central Florida . CARES Act funding for COVID safety - related things to get our public facilities back open . Ear - lier there was PPP [ Paycheck Protection Pro - major in college , an early morning calculus class Olson is from Minnesota and moved to Florida gram ] money that many of them got to keep and a feeling of being unfulfilled led him to switch in 1982 after Disney invited the theater troupe he staff on for a while . Now that’s ended and you his major to theater , setting the stage for his long co - founded , SAK , to provide entertainment for the know , everyone’s holding their breath there might career in the arts . Italy pavilion of its newest park at the time , Epcot . be another act that would give them relief . Our Noting his influence on local arts Olson grew up with a sense that he wanted to happenings , troupes have been very creative in figuring out be a part of the theater . In grade school he remem - the Orlando Sentinel once called Olson the “ cool ways to be doing things online , but a live per - bers getting together with neighborhood kids to dad ” of the Orlando arts scene . For his part , Olson forming arts experience is different than some - put on plays in the front yard . ( “ Some of the bad says he loves the inclusive nature of the city . thing on a screen . The biggest challenge right now neighbor kids threw tomatoes from across the “ What I love about Orlando is that it’s kind is safely getting back open to have our arts groups street at us , ” he recalls . ) of like an adolescent as a city and you’re really wel - be able to perform and do what they do . Although he started out as a math and science come to help parent it , to move it along , ” he says . ORLANDOFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM november 2020 ORLANDO FAMILY 53