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Director highlights season reveal, rising field-trip numbers and Juneteenth open house
Summary
The director reported steady gallery visitation, a successful season reveal attended by about 40 people, sharp year-over-year growth in school field trips, and previewed a free Juneteenth open house and other community events.
The Jasper Arts director reported progress on audience engagement and programming, noting a successful season reveal and a rise in school visits as staff prepare for summer camps and exhibits.
In the director's report the director said roughly 40 people attended a recent season-reveal event and credited sponsors and a grant that supported school programming. The director highlighted year-over-year field-trip growth and presented usage numbers: 454 gallery visitors in April and 452 in May, with a substantial increase in school programs ("I think last year, 2024, we had, I think, like, 282 students ... And then 2025, we had over 800 students," the director said). Staff said 2026 is on pace to continue the trend.
Facilities and technical staff also briefed the board on readiness for a large country show, reporting that the city engineer checked ceiling load capacity and that audio and rigging teams were coordinating rider needs. Danny (speaker 5) told the board the venue is preparing to accommodate large-scale production requirements and that staff were "ready" for the show.
The director previewed community programming: a first-Thursday gallery event with a gallery talk at 5:30 p.m., and a free Juneteenth open house scheduled for Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Juneteenth event will include food, giveaways and a line-dancing workshop led by Tashima Davis. Staff also previewed the bridal exhibit "Every Storm We Shine," noting community participation and an intern who worked on sound design.
New staff member Elizabeth Wertman introduced herself and invited board members to share priorities by email or in person. The director also reported early marketing gains, saying social media views were up 51% and interactions up 282% since the new hire started.
The board received the report and had no formal vote on programming items; staff were asked to continue coordination of exhibits and community events.
