CONWAY, Ark. (January
8, 2019) – Mary Kennedy of Little Rock has been named as the director of the new
Windgate Museum of Art at Hendrix College.
The Windgate
Museum of Art will be part of the Miller Creative Quad, which is currently
under construction. Scheduled to open in spring 2020, the museum is funded by
the Windgate Foundation.
The longtime CEO
of the Mid-America Arts Alliance, Kennedy brings more than 30 years of
leadership experience in the arts and humanities, with an extensive background
in strategic planning, financial management, exhibition development, collection
management, and fundraising. During her career, she has built long-term
relationships with board members, staff, colleagues, partners, funders,
government agencies, and constituents.
At Hendrix, she
will oversee the College’s permanent collection, develop exhibitions, provide
hands-on learning opportunities in museum and curatorial work to Hendrix
students, cultivate relationships for fundraising and special projects, and
coordinate outreach programs to engage the surrounding community with the work
of the museum.
“I am thrilled to
have the opportunity to lead the new Windgate Museum of Art at Hendrix College.
The launch of the museum will transform the Hendrix experience for students,
faculty, and alumni, and I’m delighted to be a part of that,” Kennedy said. “Connecting
the museum to the broader community will allow for new and exciting
opportunities to expand the dialogue about art and contemporary life in Conway,
as well as across the entire state.”
The Windgate
Museum will be a pedagogical resource for the College and an interdisciplinary
space that engages students and faculty from across the campus. In addition to
the museum, the Creative Quad will include new office, practice, and classroom
facilities for the Department of Music, a new auditorium and industry-standard
film screening room, and living space for 100 students on the upper floors.
“We are so
fortunate to have someone of Mary’s stature in the arts community to join our
community and lead the Windgate Museum,” said Hendrix President Bill Tsutsui.
“With her passion and proven record of success for connecting the community
with the arts, the Windgate Museum will be an incredible resource for our
campus, our city, and our state.”
Kennedy served as
CEO and Executive Director of Mid-America Arts Alliance/ExhibitsUSA in Kansas
City, Missouri, for more than a dozen years. She raised more than $25 million
for the organization and developed a national program in partnership with the
National Endowment for the Humanities. She also led the team that created HELP
(Hands-on Experiential Learning Project), a nationally recognized Institute of Museum
and Library Services-funded museum development program, which has provided
multi-year, in-depth training to staffs and boards of more than 100 museums
across the region.
Kennedy received
a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history from the University of Kansas and
earned her Master of Arts degree in art history and museum studies from the University
of Southern California. Since 2016, she has worked as a private consultant,
assisting arts and culture organizations in Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota, and
Missouri.
She began her work
at Hendrix on January 7.
About Hendrix College
A private liberal
arts college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently earns
recognition as one of the country’s leading liberal arts institutions, and is
featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change
the Way You Think About Colleges.
Its academic quality and rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix
as a fixture in numerous college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876,
Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To
learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.