OKLAHOMA CITY, OK —Allied Arts has announced the leadership team for its 2027 fundraising campaign, a community-wide effort to raise $4 million in support of nearly 50 local arts and cultural organizations. The campaign will be chaired by Katie and Taylor Shinn, with Martha Burger and Donald Rowlett serving as honorary chairs. Guided by the theme "When the Arts Thrive, Communities Thrive," the campaign will highlight the essential role arts and culture play in strengthening education, driving economic growth and building vibrant communities across central Oklahoma.
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Campaign Chairs: Katie and Taylor Shinn
An Edmond native, Katie Shinn has always had a love for the arts and literature. She spent 12 years as a writing professor at the University of Central Oklahoma and has also worked as a freelance editor and podcast host. Katie remains active in education through her volunteerism with Restore OKC, local public schools and Casady School's Parents' Organization. Her enduring love of literature, learning and creative expression has shaped her commitment to strengthening cultural opportunities for Oklahomans of all ages.
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A lifelong Oklahoman, Taylor Shinn has dedicated both his professional work and volunteer service to strengthening Oklahoma communities. Following careers with Chesapeake Energy, GE and Baker Hughes, Taylor is now an entrepreneur in energy and industrial technology. For more than a decade, he has served on the Allied Arts board in a number of capacities, championing the transformative power of the arts and his belief that “Art is the Highest Form of Hope.”

Together, the Shinns are dedicated supporters of the arts and arts education, including their leadership as two-time Allied Arts OPUS chairs. They are passionate about ensuring future generations have access to the creativity, inspiration and opportunities the arts provide.

"When the arts thrive, communities thrive," said Katie and Taylor Shinn. "We are honored to lead the 2027 Allied Arts campaign and help strengthen the organizations and programs that make central Oklahoma a vibrant place to live, work and raise a family."
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Honorary Chairs: Martha Burger and Donald Rowlett
Originally from Delaware, Martha Burger came to Oklahoma to attend Oklahoma State University and made the state her home. Following a distinguished career in the energy industry as a senior executive with Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Burger became the 18th president of Oklahoma City University, successfully guiding the institution through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. A devoted advocate for the arts, she has attended countless performances, watched OCU music, theater and dance students grow into successful artists, and served as a board member of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.
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A native Oklahoman, Donald Rowlett spent the majority of his career in finance with OG&E, retiring in 2022 after more than three decades with the company. Rowlett has been actively involved with Oklahoma City's arts organizations for nearly 40 years, including advisory roles with the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and his current service on the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Board of Directors.
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Together, Burger and Rowlett have been ardent supporters of Allied Arts for decades, helping advance opportunities for arts education, artistic excellence and cultural access throughout central Oklahoma.
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"We have witnessed firsthand how the arts inspire young people, bring communities together and enhance quality of life for everyone,” said Burger and Rowlett. “Allied Arts is critical to ensuring cultural experiences remain accessible across central Oklahoma, and we are honored to serve as honorary chairs for the 2027 campaign."
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Photo Credit: Shevaun Williams
Left to Right: Emily Stoops, Cellist, Oklahoma City Philharmonic; Charli Mai Henn, Actor, Oklahoma Shakespeare; Donald Rowlett and Martha Burger, Honorary Campaign Chairs; Katie and Taylor Shinn, Campaign Chairs; Domingo Bruce Whiteman (Cheyenne), Prairie Chicken Dancer, Red Earth; Maya Bryant Navas, Oklahoma City Ballet Yvonne Chouteau Day Program Student

About Allied Arts
As a United Arts Fund, Allied Arts works to broaden support for the arts by raising financial support for cultural organizations, encouraging participation and attendance, advocating for arts education, and promoting excellence in the arts and arts management. Since its founding in 1971, the organization has raised nearly $100 million to advance the arts in central Oklahoma. Learn more at www.alliedartsokc.com.
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Allied Arts has nearly 50 nonprofit cultural organizations under its umbrella. Member agencies include:

·        Ambassadors ’Concert Choir

·        Arts Council Oklahoma City

·        Canterbury Voices

·        Carpenter Square Theatre

·        Cimarron Opera

·        deadCenter Film

·        FirehouseArt Center

·        Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma and Thelma Gaylord Academy

·        Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art

·        MetropolitanSchool of Dance

·        National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

·        OK City Chorus

·        Oklahoma Children’s Theatre

·        Oklahoma City Ballet

·        Oklahoma City Museum of Art

·        Oklahoma City Philharmonic

·        Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center

·        Oklahoma Opry

·        Oklahoma Shakespeare

·        Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition (OVAC)

·        OklahomaYouth Orchestras

·        Prairie Dance Theatre

·        Red Earth, Inc.

·        Science Museum Oklahoma

·        The Sooner Theatre
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 For more information, contact Allied Arts at 405.278.8944 or visit alliedartsokc.com.

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