Jess Van Nostrand Joins the Morris Museum as the Inaugural Director of Public Engagement and Curatorial Strategies
(Morristown, NJ, May 2024) — A newly-created role at this leading arts-first institution will oversee the development, implementation, execution, and evaluation of the Morris Museum’s three mission-based program areas: Education, Exhibitions & Collections, and the Theater. Working collegially in the supervision of existing department leadership of the latter two areas as well as directing our Education team, the Director drives excellence and defines success within all three teams. As a partner to the Executive Director, the role encourages coordinated, aligned efforts within the organization, particularly within its planning and program development efforts.
“Vital to the success of any cultural center today, is a close relationship to its community stakeholders,” said Thomas J. Loughman, commenting this week on his one-year anniversary as Executive Director. “Jess brings a wealth of experience and perspective, matched with her own professional curiosity and desire to serve this venerable New Jersey arts institution. We all look forward to the work ahead.”
Van Nostrand most recently held the position of Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs at Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, where she oversaw the exhibitions program at The Arts Center at Governors Island and the annual River To River Festival, among other public initiatives. From 2014-2020, Jess was Assistant Director of Exhibition Programs & Gallery Initiatives at the Museum of Modern Art, where she worked across a broad range of adult education programming, including interactive arts experiences at The People’s Studio, MoMA’s innovative museum education platform for adult learning. Prior to her role at MoMA, Van Nostrand was Founding Director of The Project Room, a works-in-process art center that cultivated public discussion about how creativity works through live events, writing, and a podcast series.
Van Nostrand currently serves as a Trustee of the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, and previously served on the Board of Directors for Smack Mellon Arts Center and ArtTable, the national leadership organization for women in the arts. She received her BA in Art History from The George Washington University and her MA in Art History from Richmond, The American University in London. She also holds a certificate in Financial Success for Nonprofits from Cornell University.
