The Westport Arts Center has announced the hiring of Lindsay Heffernan and the promotion of Sarah Kelly as Education Managers. Together, Ms. Heffernan and Ms. Kelly will work to grow and promote the arts center's extensive education department, which provides dynamic arts experiences for both children and adults. "With the continued growth and expansion of our education programming, we are delighted to structure a new team of skilled education managers who will lead the strategic vision of the education department and continue to strengthen the arts centers education programs," said Peter Van Heerden, Westport Arts Center Executive Director.
Lindsay Heffernan joins the Westport Arts Center after 5 years at The Barnum Museum, in Bridgeport, CT, where she served as Director of Education and Development Associate. "I'm so excited to be part of the WAC family," said Heffernan. "The Westport Arts Center is a phenomenal resource in the community and I'm proud to offer my knowledge as an educator to WAC and hope that I can be as asset to the organization." She also works as the Development Manager at Random Acts, a Division of the Art Department, Inc., and was previously an Art Appreciation Adjunct Professor at Columbia Southern University. Heffernan graduated Magna Cum Laude from Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Art History and a minor in Creative Writing, and received her MA in Art History from Hunter College, thesis pending. Heffernan enjoys working with acrylic paint, charcoal, pastel, graphite and film.
Sarah Kelly has worked at the Westport Arts Center since the summer of 2012 as the Education Fellow and later, as the Education Assistant, under former Education Director, Danielle Ogden. Kelly graduated Suma Cum Laude from Southern Connecticut Sate University where she received a BS in Art Education. She has been leading the Arts Center's after school art programs, summer camps, school-group visits, weekend and vacation workshops, and Family Art Days. She is experienced in many mediums, and enjoys experimenting with new materials. Said Kelly, "My time here at the Westport Arts Center has been wonderful, and it's so great to be a part of an organization that is always looking to grow. I'm very excited to team up with Lindsay and work together to accomplish new goals for our youth programming."
Joining the education team is Sharon Chung, who will be teaching Kidscreate, for children ages 4-5, and Special Arts, an art class for students who may need individual attention in the classroom. Special Arts is a branch of the Westport Arts Program WAC Gives Back, which provides therapeutic arts experiences for underserved populations. Chung recently graduated from the University of Connecticut where she created her own major "Psychosocial Development and Art," as well as minoring in Sociology. As an undergrad she was active in the UConn China Care Club, which focused on bringing creative and educational experiences for young adopted children. "Having lived in Westport since the age of 6, I am elated to have the chance to work at the Westport Arts Center and give back to this community," said Chung. "Being a part of the WAC education department has been the most rewarding experience. It is so wonderful to be in this supportive and creative environment, and to also share my love of art with the students in our classes."
The Westport Arts Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting community through the arts, reaches more than 11,000 people annually through outstanding programs in visual arts, arts education, and the performance arts of Chamber music, Jazz, and film. The Westport Arts Center also receives philanthropic support from the Aibel Foundation, the Arnhold Foundation, Artur and Heida Hermanns Holde Foundation, Inc., Bernstein Global Wealth Management, Cannupa Foundation, Cohen and Wolf, P.C., the Connecticut Office of the Arts, EC Infosystems, Fairfield County Bank, Fairfield County Community Foundation, 4th Row Films, Gault, Inc., GWAY Marketing Gymnasium, Hall Art Foundation, Madison/Mott, Main Street Resources/Green Village Initiative, Meadow Ridge, Melissa & Doug, Moffly Media, Pepperidge Farm, Inc., Realm (formerly Audio Com), Sheffer Family Foundation, Sontag Advisory LLC, Steel Shed, Sun Hill Foundation, Thomas C. Hofstetter of Morgan Stanley, Smith Barney LLC, Tito's Vodka, U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management, Verde Energy, Westport Resources, Xerox Foundation, WPKN, WSHU Public Radio Group and Yellowtail.
For more information, contact the Westport Arts Center at (203) 222-7070 or www.westportartscenter.org. The Westport Arts Center gallery is open seven days a week, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., at 51 Riverside Avenue, Westport, CT.