Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Lloyd.
Hi Stephanie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have a BFA in Musical Theatre from Elon University and have been living in Atlanta since 2012. For the last decade, I’ve worked as an actor and performer, performing in theatrical productions in town and regionally, as well as some commercials and industrials. It was during this time that I became interested in working in the museum/ nonprofit field. What started out as a side job has evolved into a new career path that I am excited to continue exploring.
I started working at The Hudgens Center for Art & Learning in July 2020, after being laid off from another museum job that unfortunately folded due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. After making the tough decision to eliminate certain positions at the onset of the Pandemic, The Hudgens Center created the new, more comprehensive role of Education & Development Coordinator. With my background in museum education, arts administration, and performance, and after graduating from Georgia State with my MA in Creative and Innovative Education, I landed the position. I am so grateful to be in this role which combines my love of teaching, my instinct for fundraising, and my passion for sharing the arts with my community. We have an amazing team here at The Hudgens Center, and I feel like I found a great tribe of creative thinkers who are all equally excited to reach out and offer accessible arts education opportunities to folks of all ages and walks of life here in Gwinnett County, and the entire Metro Atlanta area.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The COVID-19 Pandemic has been hard on everyone. However, arts organizations have been some of the hardest hit and as a working artist, it is difficult to see your friends and really an entire industry that you love struggle. Before I applied for my position as Education & Development Coordinator, I taught virtual theatre summer camp for a few weeks just to stay afloat. I think there is hope though, there have been a lot of grassroots fundraising efforts and grants available to support arts nonprofits like The Hudgens Center and I’m eager to learn more about how to secure funding for organizations in the creative sector. Sometimes it’s challenging to stay positive and resilient, but at the end of the day, people need art and culture to help them escape from day to day struggles, heal emotional pain, and enhance the vitality of their community as a whole.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for Art and Learning?
To celebrate 40 years of service to the community, The Hudgens Center for Art & Learning will be hosting its annual fundraising gala, pARTy Like Its 1981 (exact date to be announce). You’re invited to join us for an evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, dancing, and live auction. All proceeds benefit The Hudgens Center for Art and Learning education and outreach initiatives, as well capital improvements to ensure the future of Gwinnett’s premier destination for arts and culture.
The mission of the Hudgens Center for Art & Learning is to bring art lovers, leaders, and learners together through quality arts programs and exhibitions. The Hudgens Center exists as a visual arts hub in the community, serving more than 15,000 people each year through fine art exhibitions, art classes for all ages, and community arts initiatives which support Georgia’s underserved students and residents. The Hudgens Center serves the metro Atlanta area’s diverse population and impacts the community by providing accessible art education programs in English, Spanish and Korean. The Hudgens provides low-cost classes and workshops for more than 1,400 adults, teens, and children each year in the visual arts and writing. Our Summer Camps introduce the principles of art and design to more than 170 children, ages 5-12, every year. The Hudgens smART Honors Program is an intensive arts education initiative that exposes Georgia high school students, many from Title 1 schools, to a college-level studio experience, access to professional tools, and mentors to develop their voice and craft; all at no charge to students. The Hudgens Healing Arts uses art as therapeutic tool for those in need of healing, with free art therapy classes at the Hudgens and in the community for cancer patients, caregivers, and disabled adults. The Hudgens provides free admission to its 34,000sf space that houses three galleries and hosts 15 exhibitions each year. The Children’s Art Zone is home to larger-than-life installations that demonstrate the connection between art and science, and Toddler Fridays, for children ages 1 to 4, which encourages early literacy and motor skills. The Hudgens Family Day events present a wonderful opportunity to visit current exhibitions and participate in hands-on art activities. Additionally, The Hudgens Prize lifts Georgia artists up to national standards and has earned The Center a national reputation for our innovative support of artists.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I feel that luck (or fate or whatever you want to call it) has played a role in bringing me to The Hudgens Center.
A little backstory: In 2019 I was cast in several shows at The Center for Puppetry Arts while also pursuing my Masters at GA State. I had been thinking about how to transition away from performing and more into the nonprofit sector but had not really taken any steps. Then suddenly, in spring of 2019, I broke my leg and had to drop out of all the shows I was cast in and complete the semester from my bed.
This unfortunate accident actually led me to land a job at a small museum in Sandy Springs that helped boost my experience working in the museum field as I finished grad school.
Then, the Pandemic hit. As I graduated remotely in summer of 2020 and was laid off from my small museum job, I thought “now what am I going to do?”
But thankfully, this occurred right as The Hudgens Center created the Education & Development Coordinator position and I happened to be uniquely qualified for the role.
The past few years have really taught me a lot about patience, trust, and having faith that often, things that seem like misfortune eventually lead to something better than you could have imagined.
Pricing:
- Free admission to The Hudgens’ galleries, Tues-Sat
- pARTy Gala Tickets- $125
Contact Info:
- Email: slloyd@thehudgens.org
- Website: thehudgens.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hudgenscenter/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hudgenscenter
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3BnDeTZ7SjhRr4jHx71_Yw
- Other: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/party-like-its-1981-tickets-163200530179
