Van McLeod, the longtime commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Cultural Resources and a leader in the state’s arts community, has passed away.
He was 70 years old.
A spokesperson for the department confirmed the news Monday morning. Gov. Maggie Hassan directed flags to half-staff on the day of McLeod’s funeral, which is still being arranged.
“Tom and I were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Commissioner Van McLeod, a dedicated public servant whose lifelong commitment and innumerable contributions to the arts community in New Hampshire made our state a stronger, more vibrant and more welcoming place,” Hassan said in a statement.
A Concord resident, McLeod served as the commissioner of the Department of Cultural Resources for 24 years. He was the longest-tenured state agency head currently serving. The department includes the Arts Council, the New Hampshire State Library, the Division of Historical Resources and the Film & Television Office.
“Van McLeod was a pillar of our cultural and historic institutions, and Tom and I join his family and loved ones, the arts and humanities communities and people across the state in mourning his loss,” Hassan said.
McLeod was active in arts organizations across New England, and he was the founder of Concord’s First Night celebrations in the 1980s. Among his many accolades is the Lifetime Achievement Award at the New Hampshire Theatre Awards in 2007, and in 2008, the New Hampshire Film Festival created the annual Van McLeod Achievement Award in his honor.
“Every writer, every craftsperson, every actor, every singer, every musician, they want to make a living,” McLeod told the Monitor last year. “So as we open up places where they can perform, where they can exhibit, and if we can help create a market for that, it will lift all the boats. So, restaurants will do better, shops will do better, our economy will do better.”
This story will be updated.
(Megan Doyle can be reached at 369-3321, mdoyle@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @megan_e_doyle.)