Jack Megan, a longtime arts administrator in the Boston area, has been appointed the next director of Harvard's Office for the Arts (OFA).

Myra Mayman, who has held the position for 28 years, will step down in July.

The Office for the Arts is in charge of organizing the annual Arts First weekend, sponsoring lecture series, awarding grants to students and running a ceramics and a dance program.

Megan, whose appointment was announced late last week, said that the goals of OFA jibe with his own beliefs about the significance of the visual and performing arts to undergraduates.

After two years as director of development of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Megan became the associate director of the Longy School of Music in 1986.

During his 12 years at Longy, Megan initiated a capital campaign, started a Master of Music program. A scholarship fund has been created in his name.

In addition to his longstanding interest in arts management, Megan is also a performer.

He is a jazz pianist and a writer, predominantly for children's theatre.