KRYSTAL JONES

EXECUTIVE Director, City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture

San Antonio, Texas

SPEAKER – WIFT TX: SPEAKER SERIES 2025 – “STATE OF THE TEXAS MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY”

For nearly 15 years, Krystal has been dedicated to advancing, supporting, and promoting San Antonio’s creative community. She is driven by her belief that the arts change lives and should be accessible to all. As Executive Director of the City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture since 2022, she leads a team of 25 and all department initiatives, some of which include the San Antonio Film Commission and its 7.5% film incentive program, seven grant programs for arts nonprofits and artists, a $15.7M+ public art program installing 33 new public art projects to San Antonio by 2027, two City owned and managed art galleries and affiliated programs, and the City of San Antonio’s Poet Laureate Program. Under her leadership, San Antonio increased its film permits by 80%, secured historic funding to support public art maintenance, increased investment in public art from 1% to 1.5% of all City of San Antonio capital improvement projects, and increased funding to San Antonio artists.

Krystal began her career at the City of San Antonio in January 2011. She has served in various roles for the Department of Arts & Culture, including the role of Film & Music Commissioner where she overhauled and relaunched the San Antonio Film Commission. She also worked in marketing and communications roles for Visit San Antonio for six years. Before public service, Krystal directed award-winning marketing strategies for technology companies.

Along with serving on the Women in Film & Television Texas Council of Commissioners, Krystal is a board member of Texans for the Arts, a member of the steering committee member for the national Urban Arts Coalition, Visit San Antonio’s Cultural Committee, and several task forces for the City of San Antonio and Visit San Antonio. She holds a Master of Science in Public Relations from Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studios and Psychology from Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, exploring arts spaces, and riding motorcycles with her fiancé Josh, and serving as her dog and cat’s personal assistant.

LEARN MORE: SANANTONIO.GOV/ARTS