Nick Nelson Selected as New Springfield Art Museum Director

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The City of Springfield has chosen Nick Nelson as the new Springfield Art Museum Director.

Nelson has served as the executive director of the Albany Museum of Art in Albany, Georgia, since 2009. During his tenure, the Albany Museum of Art expanded its outreach and education programs, hosted award-wining exhibitions, and cultivated community and statewide partnerships with other museums and organizations.

"You know, it just was the right fit for me as someone who really has been involved in community programming, outreach, and collaboration," said Nelson Friday. "It seemed like the perfect fit."

"We are extremely please to have Nick as our next director," said Ron Hawley, Art Museum Board Chairman. "He will bring to the museum an energy, enthusiasm and expertise that will serve to propel the museum to the forefront of Springfield and Southwest Missouri's cultural mission. Besides his education and professional experience, his record of collaboration among the various community organizations has been impressive and we look forward to that effort continuing here in Springfield." 

Nelson oversaw major facility upgrades and the reinstallation of the Albany Museum of Art's permanent collection galleries and the launch of a new website featuring downloadable audio tours, gallery guides, and other web-based educational provisions.

He also led the museum through a successful re-accreditation bid with the American Association of Museums. Nelson serves as a peer reviewer for the AAM's accreditation program and has served as a grant reviewer for the Georgia Council for the Arts.

"The Springfield Art Museum is an extraordinary museum with an incredible collection, a fantastic facility, and a wonderful board and staff," Nelson said. "There is an obvious appreciation for the arts and their potential to create a better community here in Springfield. As a significant cultural resource, the Art Museum can play an important role in the community and this effort.  I look forward to reaching out to the community and making the Springfield Art Museum a leader in the cultural life of Springfield and Southwest Missouri.  I am so excited about coming to Springfield and the opportunity to be part of such an exciting community."

Prior to becoming director, he served as the museum's curator of education, where he established programs for a variety of audiences including adults, school children, families, and college and university students. These programs included: internships, curriculum-based school tours and outreach programs, lectures, summer art camps, after school art classes, and a variety of family events.

Nelson has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, Georgia, and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia.

He taught drawing and design at Georgia Southern where he also directed the University's art gallery, the University's summer art camps, and ArtsFest, a regional arts festival with an attendance of 6,000. Trained as an artist, Nelson has exhibited his artwork in venues across the country.

Nelson's anticipated start date is Aug. 6, 2012.

The City began a nationwide search on February 3, 2012 and approximately 132 applications and resumes were received.

The Art Museum appointed a search committee comprised of four art museum board members: Kirk Elmquist, Paula Ingram, Sally Scheid and Judith Fowler; the assistant city manager, Collin Quigley; and the director of human resources, Sheila Maerz.

The search committee initially screened the applications to the top 12 candidates who met all the qualifications of the position which included, but was not limited to: a bachelor's and master's degree in the fine arts, art history, or museum studies and a minimum of four years of professional work experience in an art museum.

The search committee narrowed the field from twelve to seven candidates, upon further review of each candidate's overall scope of experience, including significant managerial experience as well as a proven track record in community collaboration and implementing fresh ideas and program in an art museum environment. Web-based interviews were offered to those top seven candidates.

Two finalists were then invited to Springfield for an on-site interview. The Art Museum Board made the final selection, as required by the City Charter.