Mayo Street Arts, the neighborhood arts center in Portland’s East Bayside neighborhood, has named Ian Bannon its new executive director. Bannon, whose past experience includes working as managing director at the Celebration Barn Theater in South Paris and education director at Figures of Speech Theatre in Freeport, will succeed founding director Blainor McGough beginning May 1.

McGough announced her departure earlier this year. McGough founded Mayo Street Arts in 2009, along with her husband, Brian Arlet.

In addition to his administrative and educational work, Bannon is an artist and puppeteer, who has performed and taught puppetry in all Maine’s counties, and been involved with Mayo Street Arts as an event volunteer and performer. He has worked as a part-time program manager since February.