GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO TONIGHT'S EPISODE OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

I'M YOUR HOST Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND TONIGHT WE ARE COMING TO YOU FROM UTICA, NEW YORK, BECAUSE WE ARE SITTING DOWN WITH THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF THE MUNSON, ANNA D'AMBROSIO.

I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US AND WE ARE SITTING RIGHT NOW, I'M FEELING VERY REEGAL.

>> GOOD.

YOU SHOULD.

BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE MUSEUM OF ART AT MUNSON.

BUT YOUR ROLE COVERS LIKE A CAMPUS OF SPACES COMMITTED TO ART.

SO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR ROLE AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING HERE.

>> SO MUNSON WAS FOUNDED IN 1919 AND WE OPENED IN 1936, AND ALWAYS TO BE MULTIFACETED ARTS ORGANIZATION.

SO WE HAVE A MUSEUM OF ART, A SCHOOL OF ART AND A PERFORMING ARTS DIVISION.

AND OUR SCHOOL OF ART HAS TWO FACETS.

WE DO COMMUNITY ARTS EDUCATION, SO WE OFFER CLASSES TO, FROM PRESCHOOL THROUGH TO ADULTS AND THEN WE HAVE A PROGRAM, HIGHER ED PROGRAM, PREP MUNSON, WE ARE A COLLEGE PROGRAM THAT IS AN AFFILIATE OF PRATT INSTITUTE IN BROOKLYN.

>> THAT'S HUGE.

>> WE HAVE 200 STUDENTS WHO LIVE HERE ON OUR CAMPUS.

THE MUNSON CAMPUS IS 24 BUILDINGS ON 10 ACRES BUT RIGHT IN THE CITY OF UTICA, AND THOSE 200 STUDENTS COME FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND ALSO INTERNATIONAL, ABOUT 25% INTERNATIONAL.

SO THEY SPEND THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF A BFA HERE AT MUNSON AT PRATT MUNSON, OUR PROGRAM, AND FINISH UP THEIR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR AND GET THEIR DEGREE FROM PRATT INSTITUTE IN BROOKLYN.

>> THAT IS SO AMAZING.

SO IT'S LIKE YOU ARE PRESIDENT OF MUNSON, WHICH INCLUDES AN ART MUSEUM, A HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION AS WELL AS A PERFORMING ARTS SPACE.

HOW UNIQUE IS THAT?

BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS LIKE ME, MYSELF, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT OFF CAMERA.

SOUNDS ABOUT ALL OF WHO I AM WRAPPED UP IN ONE LOCATION.

BUT HOW UNIQUE IS THE SPACE LIKE MUNSON?

THE WORLD OF ART?

>> SO WE ARE FAIRLY UNIQUE.

THERE ARE NOT TOO MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT INCORPORATE ALL THREE, YOU KNOW, HIGHER EDUCATION, PERFORMING ARTS AND A WORLD CLASS MUSEUM OF ART ALL IN ONE INSTITUTION.

SO IT IS PRETTY UNUSUAL.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU IT MAKES EVERY DAY DIFFERENT.

>> I COULD ONLY IMAGINE.

RUR YOU ARE RUNNING A CAMPUS, ART MUSEUM AND PERFORMING ARTS SPACE.

THAT SAYS SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT WHO ANNA IS, RIGHT?

SO TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU BECOME OR BECAME THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF SUCH A UNIQUE SPACE IN THE WORLD OF ART, EDUCATION AND PERFORMING ARTS?

>> SURE.

I GIVE SOME CREDIT, A LOT OF CREDIT TO MY MOM.

MY MOM WAS A TRAIL BLAZER IN HER OWN KIND OF QUIET WAY.

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, SHE WAS THE ONLY WOMAN IN HER LAW SCHOOL GRADUATING CLASS, AND WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, THERE WEREN'T TOO MANY OTHER GIRLS WHO HAD MOMS WHO WERE WORKING FULL TIME CAREER MOMS, AND THEN SHE WAS THE FIRST ELECTED COUNTY JUDGE IN ALBANY COUNTY.

SO SHE ALWAYS PAVED THE WAY IN HER OWN RESERVED BUT POWERFUL WAY OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF CAREER, A WOMAN'S CAREER AND BEING A PROFESSIONAL, AND SO I ALWAYS THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE AN ATTORNEY.

>> OF COURSE YOUR MOM WAS A TRAIL BLAZER IN HER OWN QUIET WAY AND NOTHING ABOUT FEMALE-- ONLY FEMALE ATTORNEY IN HER CLASS, BECOMING A JUDGE, NONE OF THAT SEEMS QUIET, YEAH,.

>> YEAH, RIGHT.

BUT AND THEN I GOT REALLY INTERESTED IN ART HISTORY.

AND WHAT INTERESTED ME IN ART HISTORY ARE THE STORIES THAT WE TELL.

SO HERE AT MUNSON, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF ART AND OUR AMERICAN ART COLLECTION, I MEAN EVERY SINGLE OBJECT, ARTWORK, SCULPTURE, THEY ALL TELL A STORY, THEY TELL THE STORY ABOUT THE ARTIST.

THEY TELL A STORY ABOUT THE TIME IT WAS CREATED, WAS WAS GOING ON IN SOCIETY, WHO THE ART WAS MADE FOR, WHO THE ART WASN'T MADE FOR.

THERE ARE SO MANY STORIES WRAPPED TOGETHER.

AND THAT, I THINK, ENGAGES PEOPLE AT ALL LEVELS SO THAT IS WHAT BROUGHT ME INTO ART HISTORY, AND I STARTED MY CAREER AS A DECORATIVE ARTS CREATOR SO I STUDIED AMERICAN CERAMICS, FURNITURE, SILVER AND GLASS.

AND THAT'S REALLY HOW I STARTED OUT AS A CURATOR HERE AT MUNSON MANY YEARS AGO.

>> YOUR CAREER STARTED HERE.

>> YES.

>> I JOKE THAT I HAVE HAD FOUR DIFFERENT JOBS HERE.

>> OKAY.

>> THAT EXPLAINS YOU KNOW, YOUR MOVE UP.

AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE AT THE MUSEUM?

>> I HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE THE FALL OF 1989.

AND IT WAS NEVER MY INTENTION, YOU KNOW, TO STAY IN ONE PLACE OR, YOU KNOW, THINKING THAT I WAS GOING TO SETTLE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, BUT THIS ORGANIZATION IS SO FABULOUS BECAUSE IT ALWAYS HAS OFFERED OPPORTUNITIES AND SO AS A YOUNG CURATOR, THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO EXHIBITIONS, TO WRITE BOOKS, TO DO TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS, TO TRAVEL AND TO SPEAK ON THE AREA OF EXPERTISE.

SO IT WAS SUCH A GREAT ORGANIZATION IN ITS COLLECTION, TOO, BECAUSE AS A CURATOR, YOU WANT TO WORK WITH GREAT OBJECTS, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT.

>> AND TELL THE STORIES OF THOSE GREAT OBJECTS AND TEACH PEOPLE AND ENGAGE PEOPLE THROUGH THOSE OBJECTS.

SO MUNSON, THE MUSEUM HERE, OFFERED THAT OPPORTUNITY.

SO I WENT FROM THE CURATOR OF DECORATIVE ARTS TO THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM TO MUSEUM DIRECTOR IN 2012.

AND THEN IN 2017, OUR THEN PRESIDENT WAS RETIRING AND I FELT LIKE NOBODY HAS MORE PASSION FOR THIS ORGANIZATION AND THIS COMMUNITY AND WHAT THIS ORGANIZATION CAN DO IN THIS COMMUNITY THAN ME.

SO THEY DID A NATIONAL SEARCH AND I THREW MY HAT IN THE RING AND I BECAME PRESIDENT IN, I GUESS IT WAS AUGUST OF 2017.

>> CONGRATULATIONS!

>> WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION, TOO, I THINK ABOUT HOW IT WAS FOUNDED-- WOMEN WERE SO INVOLVED IN THE FOUNDING OF THIS ORGANIZATION.

IT WAS THREE GENERATIONS OF ONE FAMILY THAT WE WERE ORIGINALLY NAMED FOR.

UNDERSTAND THE WOMEN PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN FORMING THE COLLECTION, IN PHILANTHROPY IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THEN MARIAH WATSON WILLIAMS PROCTOR WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE ORGANIZATION, AND WE OPENED A FEW MONTHS AFTER SHE PASSED AWAY.

WE OPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN 1936.

AND THEN TO THINK AFTER SHE PASSED AWAY, THERE WASN'T A FEMALE LEADER UNTIL 2017.

IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE.

>> THAT'S POWERFUL.

WHY DON'T WE TAKE A LOOK.

EARLIER TODAY, ANNA GAVE ME A TOUR OF THE MUSEUM WHICH I FELL IN LOVE WITH AND I WAS ABLE TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW SHE IS MAKING THIS A MORE INCLUSIVE SPACE THROUGH THE ART AND THE ARTISTS THAT SHE IS HELPING BRING IN TO THIS SPACE.

SO TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE DAY LOOKS LIKE FOR YOU WHEN YOU GET HERE TO THE MUNSON?

>> SO EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE THE ORGANIZATION IS SO MULTIFACETED.

>> RIGHT.

>> THAT MAKES IT FUN.

YOU CAN SPEND A DAY DOING CONTRACTS ONE DAY, A DAY WORKING ON H.R.

TOPICS TO LEADERSHIP TOPICS.

BUDGETING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

>> A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

>> SLOTS OF ART PROGRAMMING OF COURSE.

THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE.

>> I LOVE WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, THE YOUNG SCHOLARS PROGRAM, AND HOW YOU ARE GETTING YOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE WORK.

>> SO WE LIKE TO WORK WITH INTERNS AT ALL LEVEL AND AS MANY PROGRAMS AS WE CAN.

SO THIS SUMMER WE ARE REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE FOR COMMUNITY ARTS FOR THE KIDS, WE GOT SPONSORSHIP SO WE ARE ABLE TO OFFER IT FOR FREE AND SO WITH DOING THAT AND TRYING TO GET THE KIDS REGISTERED AND TAKING DOWN THOSE BARRIERS, WE WORKED WITH A DOZEN DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO DO THOSE REGISTRATIONS, RIGHT?

YOUNG SCHOLARS BEING ONE OF THEM.

AND THEN BEING ABLE TO USE THE YOUNG SCHOLARS, WHICH IS A PROGRAM BASED AT UTICA COLLEGE HERE.

AND THEY'RE HELPING US BY BEING ABLE TO BROADEN THE HOURS, SO TO HELP WITH THE WORKING PARENTS, RIGHT?

>> YES.

>> IT SOUNDS CORNY WHEN YOU SAY IT TAKES A VILLAGE... >> BUT IT DOES.

>> WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE PROGRAMS AT MUNSON THAT REALLY BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND WHERE WE BUILD ON ALL THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS, THOSE ARE WHERE WE REACH THE DEEPEST INTO THE COMMUNITY.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS, EVEN LIKE AS WE ARE WALKING AROUND IN THIS EXHIBIT, RIGHT, AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING, I'M JUST IMAGINING THE CONVERSATIONS THAT CAN TAKE PLACE.

>> AND WHAT YOU WANT IS FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND TAKE A SIMPLE OBJECT, RIGHT, SO I'M DOING A STUDY OF DECORATIVE ARTS.

SO IF YOU TAKE A FANCY EXPENSIVE CHAIR, PEOPLE ARE LIKE, IT'S JUST A CHAIR, RIGHT?

BUT SOMEBODY MADE IT.

WAS IT AN IMMIGRANT CRAFTSMAN, IMPORTED WOOD?

S WHO HARVESTED THE WOOD THAT MADE THAT, THE MAHOGANY, WHO ORDERED IT, WHO MADE IT?

WHAT KIND OF HOUSEHOLD?

WHO LIVED IN THAT HOUSEHOLD?

SO MANY STORIES.

>> AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY, BRINGING DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN, BRINGING DIFFERENT TYPES OF SHOWS IN, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE JAZZ CONCERT, THE NEW ORLEANS BASED JAZZ GROUP THAT IS COMING, BLUEGRASS, THE LINEUP WHERE IT'S BRINGING A MIX OF GENRES TOGETHER AND VARIOUS AUDIENCES TOGETHER.

>> RIGHT.

AND YOU HOPE THAT PEOPLE THEN ALSO COME AND SAY, I HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE AT THIS ONE CONCERT OR AT THIS ONE PROGRAM SO I'M GOING TO TAKE THAT RISK AND THIS ONE MAY NOT BE ONE I WOULD USUALLY COME TO, BUT I HAD THIS GREAT EXPERIENCE SO I'M GOING TO TRY THAT ONE, TOO, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT.

WHEN DO YOU FEEL LIKE I NEED TO SHAKE THINGS UP?

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S TIME TO DO THAT?

>> I THINK THAT WHEN WE LAUNCHED THE STRATEGIC PLAN, EVERY YEAR WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BUDGETS AND TALKING ABOUT PROGRAMMING FOR THE NEXT YEAR, WE REALLY FOCUS ON IT.

OKAY, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO STRETCH THIS YEAR?

OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES ESTABLISHED IN THE LAST YEAR AN INNOVATION FUND, NOT HUGE, BUT, I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE STAFF AND SAID YOU GOT A GREAT IDEA THAT'S SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF WAS WE WOULD NORMALLY DO, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN, RIGHT?

SOMETIMESSITE-- SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LITTLE EXTRA MONEY, SOMETIMES IT TAKES A NEW COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP TO BRING ALL THAT ENERGY TOGETHER.

>> TO BRING ALL THAT...

I FEEL LIKE THIS IS AN INNOVATION PROJECT HAVING YOU ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

>> YOU ARE VERY KIND.

>> AND TALKING ABOUT THE WORK.

THIS IS REALLY EXCITING AND IT'S PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO STEP OUTSIDE OF THE STUDIO AND IMMERSE OURSELVES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE COME OUT OF YOUR TENURE HERE?

IF YOU HAD LIKE A LEGACY STATEMENT, WHAT WOULD THAT BE?

>> LEGACY STATEMENT?

>> YEAH.

>> I THINK THAT I OPENED THE DOORS EVEN WIDER TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AT EVERY LEVEL ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION.

2019, WE CELEBRATED OUR CENTENNIAL AND WE LUNCH LAUNCHED A STRATEGIC PLAN RIGHT IN TIME FOR THE PANDEMIC TO START A FEW MONTHS LATER.

>> BEST TIME TO START A STRATEGIC PLAN, RIGHT?

>> WHO WOULD HAVE KNOWN.

WE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS, DESPITE THE PANDEMIC, AND CERTAINLY A LOT OF PROGRESS SINCE.

AND ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, RIGHT, AT EVERY LEVEL.

SO WHAT WE DID, WE DID FOCUS GROUPS WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND WE WENT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY.

WE BROUGHT HEEM PEER FOR FOCUS GROUPS-- WE BROUGHT PEOPLE HERE FOR FOCUS GROUPS AND I REMEMBER ONE FOCUS GROUP IN PARTICULAR THAT SOMETIMES I WOULD GO AND WELCOME AND THANK PEOPLE AND THEN THE STRATEGIC PLAN CONSULTANT WOULD STAY SO THEY COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITHOUT THE PRESIDENT THERE, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

>> BUT THIS ONE GROUP OF YOUNGER PEOPLE, IT WAS A PRETTY DIVERSE GROUP, THEY SAID WHY DON'T YOU STAY.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING YOU CAN'T HEAR.

THIS ONE WOMAN SAID I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WALKING IN THE DOOR BECAUSE I DON'T SEE MYSELF THERE.

I DON'T SEE-- SHE WAS A WOMAN OF COLOR.

SHE SAID I DON'T SEE MYSELF IN THE ARTWORK.

I DON'T SEE MYSELF IN THE PEOPLE.

I DON'T FEEL AT HOME.

AND I WAS LIKE YEAH, RIGHT.

SO WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB.

WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB.

SO WE TOOK THOSE FOCUS GROUP COMMENTS VERY SERIOUSLY AND EMBEDDED THEM IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN AT EVERY SINGLE LEVEL, DIVERSIFIED THE BOARD, WORK MORE-- WE WERE ALWAYS WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, BUT TRY HARDER, DO MORE, GO DEEPER WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

EVEN IN THE ARTWORK THAT WE ACQUIRE, WE ALWAYS PUT AN EFFORT INTO ACQUIRING ARTISTS WHO WERE NOT TRADITIONALLY REPRESENTED IN AMERICAN FINE ART COLLECTIONS.

BUT NOW WE PUT BOTH INTO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF WHERE WE WOULD MAKE ACQUISITIONS, ADDING TO THE PERMANENT COLLECTION, WOULD BE UNDER REPRESENTED ARTISTS SO WOMEN, PEOPLE OF COLOR, INDIGENOUS, SO WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING AN EVEN STRONGER EFFORT.

WE HADN'T ARTICULATED IT AND NOW IT'S IN WRITING.

>> I'M GOING TO ASK THIS QUESTION, BECAUSE FOR FOLKS THAT ARE OUT THERE, RIGHT, LIKE I GREW UP INVOLVED IN A LOT OF ARTS PROGRAMS, GROWING UP IN NEW JERSEY, INFORMED PART OF WHO I AM.

AND I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT LIKE IF THERE IS SOMEONE OUT THERE LISTENING AND THEY'RE LIKE ONE DAY I'M FROM CENTRAL NEW YORK, MAYBE I WILL HAVE A PIECE IN THE MUNSON MUSEUM, LIKE WHAT DO HAVE YOU TO DO TO LIKE HAVE THAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITY?

>> IT COMES FROM ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, RIGHT?

SO THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO GO TO ART SCHOOL AND FOLLOW THAT PATH, GET A BFA, GET A MASTERS DEGREE, YOU KNOW, BUT THERE ARE OTHERS THAT FOLLOW UNTRADITIONAL PATH TO BECOMING ARTISTS AND GET GALLERY REPRESENTATION.

SO IT'S SO MUCH ABOUT DEDICATION TO YOUR CRAFT, DEDICATION TO YOUR ART AND THE TIME AND COMMITMENT.

WE WORK WITH YOUNG ARTISTS ALL THE TIME.

WE WANT TO OFFER THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS BOTH THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY, FROM OTHER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS BRINGING IN NEW YORK CITY, WASHINGTON OR OTHER BASED ARTISTS, PEOPLE WHO ARE REPRESENTED IN THE GALLERIES HERE, TO TALK WITH THEM THAT THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT AVENUES.

AND THEN FOR STUDENTS WHO GET A BFA, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT AVENUES, IT'S NOT THAT YOU ARE NECESSARILY CREATING ARTWORK JUST TO SELL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE DOING GRAPHIC DESIGN, MAYBE YOU GO INTO MARKETING THROUGH GRAPHIC DESIGN.

THERE IS JUST SO MANY DIFFERENT AVENUES, REALLY.

>> AND IS IT EVER TOO LATE?

>> IT'S NEVER TOO LATE.

>> SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT WHILE YOU ARE IN YOUR PRIME, RIGHT?

AND THEN IT CAN NEVER HAPPEN?

YOU CAN START LATER IN LIFE.

YOU CAN COME BACK TO YOUR PASSION FOR PAINTING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> AND THAT'S ONE OF THE GREAT THUNKS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAM.

SO THAT WE HAVE ADULTS WHO COME AND WANT TO DO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, DOCTORS, WHO ARE SURGEONS WHO COME AND TAKE A CLASS BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAT THEY DO THE REST OF THE DAY, RIGHT, TO PRE-K STUDENTS WHO WANT TO COME AND GET THEIR HANDS DIRTY AND PLAY WITH CLAY AND SO THEIR CREATIVITY.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT ART IS GETTING PEOPLE INTRODUCED TO IT AT A YOUNG AGE.

>> YEAH.

>> AT MUNSON WE WORK WITH ALL SORTS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UTICA SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHERE ALL SECOND AND THIRD GRADERS COME FOR TOURS EVERY YEAR, LIKE THAT'S ONE OF THE... >> A FIELD TRIP.

>> A FIELD TRIP DAY.

I LOVE IT WHEN THEY COME BACK THE SECOND YEAR AND THEY SAY HEY, YOU MOVED THAT.

THEY'RE REALLY PAYING ATTENTION.

WE WANT THEM TO THINK THIS IS THEIR MUSEUM.

WE WORK WITH A PROGRAM ACROSS THE STREET CALLED WITH A PRE-K READING AND ART PROGRAM.

THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BEST DAYS BECAUSE THOSE KIDS BRING SUCH ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM.

>> AND THEIR EYES LIGHT UP.

BUT IT'S AWESOME TO HEAR BECAUSE YOU TALKED ABOUT FROM YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WE WANT COMMUNITY ENGAGE MANY AND FROM WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE, YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT WAYS WITH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

>> TO FEEL COMFORTABLE AT A YOUNG AGE WALKING IN THE DOOR.

>> AND HOW THIS THE THEN CAN PRECIP PRECIPITATE TO COMING BACK WITH YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN.

>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ART TO CREATE ART IN A COMMUNITY CLASS OR TO COME INTO A MP.

PEOPLE SAY I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ART.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

IT'S HOW IT MAKES YOU FEEL, HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT IT.

THERE IS NO ONE WAY.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS I'M LISTENING, MAN, I NEED TO GET INTO AN ART CLASS.

I'M FEEL FEELING EXCITED ABOUT IT.

BUT I'M CURIOUS AS WE MENTIONED, LIKE YOU WERE THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT HERE.

YOU CAPTURED THE HISTORY ON LIKE THE WOMEN THAT HELPED TO SET THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS PLACE.

BUT NOW AS A LEADER IN THE ART WORLD, RIGHT?

THERE IS ALSO A WOMAN, THAT'S ALWAYS A RARITY.

WHAT IS IT LIKE WHEN YOU ARE OUT IN THE WORLD REPRESENTING MAYBE THE MUNSON, NOT IN THIS SPACE?

HOW DO YOU KEEP YOURSELF EMPOWERED?

>> SO I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A MENTOR.

I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS THAT COLLEAGUE THAT THEY CAN CALL AND BRAIN STORM WITH.

I'M REALLY FORTUNATE THAT MY HUSBAND IS ALSO MUSEUM PRESIDENT.

SO THAT'S-- YOU CAN IMAGINE OUR DINNER TIME CONVERSATION.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

>> I HAVE THAT GREAT SUPPORT WITH HIM AS MY LIFE PARTNER.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT EACH OTHER IS DOING EVERY DAY.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT, AND UNDERSTAND THE CONVERSATION.

BUT GETTING OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY, FOR MANY YEARS I'VE BELONGED TO AN ORGANIZATION, ART MUSEUM DIRECTORS, WHICH IS A NATIONAL-BASED ORGANIZATION.

AND I JOINED IT WHEN I WAS THE MUSEUM DIRECTOR AND THEY MEET MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR VIA ZOOM OR LARGER MEETINGS AT ANOTHER ARTS ORGANIZATION.

AND IT'S INTERESTING.

I STARTED IN 2012, WOMEN ART MUSEUM DIRECTORS WERE A MINORITY.

AND NOW IT'S PRETTY MUCH 50-50.

AND WE USED TO MEET SEPARATELY AT LIKE THE WOMEN DIRECTORS WOULD GET TOGETHER DURING THE LARGER MEETING TO MAYBE TALK ONE ON ONE ABOUT OUR APPROACHES TO THINGS.

AND WE DID IT WITHIN THIS LAST YEAR AND WE SAID, I'M NOT SURE NOW WE NEED IT.

BECAUSE YOU KNOW, NOW IT'S KIND OF 50-50.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

THE LEVEL OF CONVERSATION IS USUALLY A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WHEN IT IS JUST WOMEN IN THE ROOM.

AND IT'S WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN AND WOMEN SUPPORTING WOMEN IN A WAY THAT CAN BE A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION THAN WHEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR MALE COLLEAGUES THERE.

>> AND THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.

AS I FOLLOWED YOU ALL FROM AFAR, IS THAT YOU ARE ALSO DOING THINGS TO BRING PEOPLE IN THE DOORS BEYOND THE CLASSES, BUT THE TYPE OF PERFORMING ARTS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DIVERSITY IN THE SHOWS THAT YOU ARE OFFERING... >> ABSOLUTELY.

>> TEND TO BE DRIVING IN FROM ALL OVER, NO?

>> RIGHT.

SO WE WANT TO, THROUGH THE EXHIBITIONS AND THE PERFORMING ARTS, WE DO CONCERTS IN THE COURT RIGHT HIGHER IN THE SPACE.

WE ALSO WANT TO DIVERSIFY WHAT WE BRING TO APPEAL TO THE BROADEST AUDIENCE POSSIBLE.

I MEAN, YOU SAID THAT LEGACY STATEMENT, IF I FELT LIKE I OPENED THAT DOOR WIDE ENOUGH FOR ALL OF THE COMMUNITY, THAT PEOPLE JUST COME IN BECAUSE THIS IS THEIR THIRD SPACE, RIGHT?

THAT THEY COME IN, THEY BRING THEIR KIDS, THAT WOULD BE THE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT EVERYONE IN THIS REGION AND IN THIS CITY FEELS LIKE THIS IS A PLACE FOR THEM.

AND THAT THEY ARE AT HOME HERE.

>> I LIKE THE WAY YOU SAID THAT, LIKE THIS REGION, RIGHT?

BECAUSE THIS REGION HAS A WEALTH OF RESOURCES AND A WEALTH OF WOMEN, I THINK, HELPING TO CULTIVATE OPPORTUNITIES, CONNECTED TO THESE RESOURCES THAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT.

>> CENTRAL NEW YORK IS A HUGELY RICH ARTISTIC COMMUNITY.

I MEAN FROM-- AND DIVERSE IN ITS OFFERINGS, FROM THE MUSEUMS, THERE ARE OTHER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, TO THEATER.

WE ARE REALLY BLESSED WITH HOW MUCH GOES ON IN THIS REGION.

AND WE SEE OUR AUDIENCE BOTH AS LOCAL AND WE WANT OUR LOCAL FAMILY TO FEEL OWNERSHIP OF THE ORGANIZATION.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE.

SO WE GET PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL.

THE COLLECTION AND THE MUSEUM ARE SO WELL KNOWN, PEOPLE TRAVEL FROM ALL OVER TO SEE THE PERMANENT COLLECTION.

AND WE TRAVEL ARTWORK FROM THE MUSEUM INTERNATIONALLY.

>> OH WOW.

>> AND WE GET REQUESTS ALL THE TIME.

>> SO WHEN YOU ARE NOT AT THE ART MUSEUM, WHAT DO YOU DO HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK?

>> NOTHING BRINGS ME MORE JOY THAN BEING WITH MY FAMILY.

I HAVE TWO FABULOUS DAUGHTERS.

AND SO WHEN THE FOUR OF US ARE TOGETHER, IT'S PRETTY AWESOME.

BUT I LOVE TO COOK.

I LOVE TO GARDEN.

I LOVE TO TRAVEL AND YOU KNOW WHAT I DO WHEN I TRAVEL?

I GO TO MUSEUMS, RIGHT?

[LAUGHTER] >> THAT MAKES SENSE.

ARE YOUR DAUGHTERS INTERESTED IN ART?

ARE THEY LOOKING AT THE GRANDMOTHER'S MORE INTEREST IN LAW?

>> A COMBINATION FROM THE TWO, RIGHT?

ONE RIGHT NOW IS AN EDUCATOR AND THINKING ABOUT LAW.

IS AN EDUCATOR IN NEW YORK CITY AND ONE IS A RISING SENIOR IN COLLEGE AND SHE IS GOING TO BE AN ART HISTORY MAJOR.

SO SOMEHOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENED.

IT RUBBED OFF A LITTLE BIT.

>> THESE QUIET TRAIL BLAZERS IN THEIR LIVES MAYBE KIND OF HELPING THEM FIND THEIR WAY.

>> MAYBE.

>> IF THERE IS A PERSON LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE OR WATCHING THIS EPISODE WITH THEIR FAMILY, THAT HAS A PASSION FOR THE ARTS, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE TO THEM?

>> THERE IS SO MUCH THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE ARTS.

AND IT'S SO DIVERSE FIELD TO EXPLORE AND FOR A YOUNG PERSON, I SAY FIND AS MANY INTERNSHIPS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AS YOU CAN BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT I WANTED TO DO IN THE ARTS BUT I HAD THAT SPARK OF OBJECTS AND PASSION FOR OBJECTS BUT JUST IN THE MUSEUM FIELD ALONE, THERE IS CURATORS, THERE ARE EXHIBITION DESIGNERS, THERE ARE MUSEUM EDUCATORS, GRAPHIC DESIGNERS, MARKETING PUBLICATIONS, LAW THAT RESULTS TO THE ARTS.

THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

AND THAT'S NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE STUDIO ARTS AND BECOMING AN ARTIST YOURSELF.

SO EXPLORE, EXPLORE, EXPLORE AND VISIT AS MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU CAN.

>> EXPLORE, EXPLORE, EXPLORE.

THANK YOU ANNA FOR JOINING ME ON THIS EVENING'S EPISODE OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN" AND FOR ALLOWING TO US LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOU ARE MAKING THE MUNSON AN INCLUSIVE SPACE FOR ALL.

NOT JUST HERE IN UTICA BUT ACROSS CENTRAL NEW YORK.

IF YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT TONIGHT'S EPISODE OR WANT TO WATCH PAST EPISODES OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN," PLEASE GO TO WCNY.ORG/BEHIND THE WOMAN.

MY NAME IS Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND ON BEHALF OF THE "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TEAM, THANK YOU AND HAVE A WONDERFUL NIGHT.

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