NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Museum of Art has announced the appointment of Dr. Redell Hearn to the newly created position of chief educator. Hearn leads the museum’s Learning and Engagement department, including programming, partnerships and community engagement initiatives. She brings over two decades of experience in museums and higher education with an emphasis on creating new digital and in-person learning practices — from curriculum development for internships to supporting institutional efforts to expand community engagement.
“We are thrilled that Dr. Hearn is bringing her expertise to NOMA, where she will work to ensure we are fulfilling our mission to inspire lifelong learning through the arts with our communities here in New Orleans and beyond,” said Susan M. Taylor, Montine McDaniel Freeman Director of NOMA. “I am particularly excited for Dr. Hearn to shape how NOMA foregrounds education through our exhibitions, programs, partnerships, and research initiatives.”
At NOMA, Hearn’s work will focus on expanding how the museum thinks about learning through its current exhibitions and public programs, while also developing new higher education initiatives and opportunities for professional development within the organization.
Before joining NOMA, Hearn was the founding director of the Department of Academic Affairs for the Mississippi Museum of Art, where she created a department that embeds museology-based learning into museum work to bridge the gap between internships and entry-level employment. Establishing the department required complementary positioning with the educational mission of museum and its academic partners. This cross-departmental work is a direct outgrowth of Hearn’s role as the curator of art and civil rights for Tougaloo College and the museum.
