MUSIC CENTER’S NEWTON RESIGNS COUNCIL POST

Prolonged illness has forced the president of the Performing Arts Council of the Music Center to resign, the council said Wednesday.

The request to leave the group that oversees fund raising and policy making at the center came from Michael Newton, 52, who, since December, has been on a leave of absence undergoing treatment for cancer. Newton had been expected to return to his duties this month.

In a brief announcement the arts council said, “Newton has advised the board (of governors) that he will need to extend his medical treatment for a further period.”

Since Newton took his leave of absence, executive duties at the arts council have been handled by Harry Hufford, chief administrative officer at the Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher law firm. Hufford will continue in his role as acting president and “appropriate plans for meeting the leadership needs of the Music Center will be developed in the weeks ahead,” the announcement said. The council’s annual Music Center Unified Fund drive, which will end in June, recently reported that $6.7 million had been raised toward its $9.5-million goal.

Claire Segal, director of public affairs for the council, said, “There’s going to be a new president” of the arts council, although no plans have been made for conducting a search.” She also said that Newton may rejoin the council in another capacity when he recovers from his illness.

British-born, Cambridge-educated Newton joined the arts council in January, 1979, after serving as president of the New York-based American Council for the Arts.

During Newton’s tenure in Los Angeles, the annual Music Center Unified Fund drive grew to its present level from $3.4 million in 1979. Newton directed the expansion of the center’s activities to include the Music Center Education division, a government relations committee and a public affairs department. He was instrumental in bringing the Joffrey Ballet as a resident company of the Music Center in 1982.