A PASSION FOR ART

New MFA-WC director views museums as ‘magical, extraordinary places’

written by LINDA HARKCOM

There is a new leader at the helm of the Museum of FineArts — Washington County.

Sarah Hall, formerly of Pittsburgh, stepped into the role ofdirector of the museum in Hagerstown’s City Park. Hall will be the museum’s 11th director since its opening in 1931.

Roger Fairbourn, president and member of the search committee for the museum’s board of trustees, said there were several qualified candidates, but Hall stood out.

“Sarah brings a substantial skill set, as far as museum management. More than that, however, is her passion for art and for the whole art museum experience,” Fairbourn said.

Hall said her father was a museum director, and she knew early on that she also wanted to work in museums.

“I certainly grew up thinking museums were magical, extraordinary places and feeling completely comfortable in them,” Hall said.

She has a Bachelor of Arts in communication from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where she also did graduate studies in arts and humanities, specializing in film history, media studies and creative writing. She completed graduate coursework in nonprofit leadership at Robert Morris University.

“I was focusing on writing in college, and it was only after I began spending time with artists during graduate school that I started gravitating toward working with exhibitions,” she said.

Hall began her museum career when she moved to Pittsburgh in 1994, with a temporary position in the exhibitions department at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.

Sarah J. Hall addresses those in attendance at the swearing in ceremony and on Facebook Live in July.

Photo submitted

“It was the year of the first Pittsburgh Biennial, and I helped to coordinate the schedules, personalities and installations of — I think it was 14 — contemporary artists. It was a great experience. I started at The Frick pretty much as soon as that job ended, and had the opportunity to work in three different departments, grow with the organization and develop a really broad set of museum skills,” Hall said. "So, maybe museums chose me … but I feel like it’s been a wonderful opportunity. It’s allowed me to combine my love of art and storytelling in a way that benefits the wider community. I get lots of opportunities to write and also connect with people (and connect people to art). It’s been a pleasure and privilege.”

Hall worked at The Frick Pittsburgh for nearly 26 years. She began her career with the museum — the former family home of Henry Clay Frick — as a site scheduler in 1994, then moved up through the ranks. She first was a curatorial assistant in 1996; then an exhibition and development associate in 1999; followed by becoming development and membership officer in 2000; curator of exhibits and registrar in 2001; director of curatorial affairs in 2007; and finally, chief curator and director of collections in 2017. In that role, she oversaw the care, exhibition and interpretation of The Frick’s permanent collection and temporary exhibitions.

Hall has been responsible for leading major grant-funded historic preservation, conservation and exhibition projects at The Frick Pittsburgh, including work on historic structures, as well as collection objects. She has extensive experience with museum education, staff training and public programming, and was part of the team that conceived, planned and tested the interactive technology included in The Frick Pittsburgh’s $15 million 2014-15 facilities expansion.

Hall’s work at The Frick was instrumental in creating a higher profile for the museum’s exhibition program through an eclectic exhibition schedule that included 19th-century French paintings, high fashion and photography. Additionally, Hall refocused internal energies on care, interpretation and publication of The Frick’s own collection, and played a major role in the inception and continuation of its programming with contemporary artists, which began in 2000 with “Clayton Days: Picture Stories by Vik Muniz.”

Hall feels that her experience at The Frick has prepared her well for her position as director of the Museum of Fine Arts — Washington County.

“I think there are a couple particular things: one is the fact I have gained broad experience in multiple areas of museum operations. I’ve answered phones, planned parties, published newsletters, installed exhibitions, written grantnarratives. It’s a varied skill set that comes from working in a variety of positions and getting a deep understanding of the way museums work. But, beyond that, it’s people skills. I love to share art, museums and collections with others and, ultimately, being entertaining, persuasive and truly passionate about the work is the most important thing. I love what I do and people can tell,” Hall said.

Sarah J. Hall takes her oath at the new director for Museum of Fine Arts – Washington County in July.

Photo submitted

Impressive museum in a beautiful setting

She said that, over the last few years — as her son grew up and she’s had more flexibility in her work life — it occurred to her that she should look for a directorship. She said the position in Hagerstown appealed to her because, while she’s driven many times from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., the museum was a discovery for her.

“The collection is wonderful,” Hall said. “The museum is clearly treasured by the community. Rebecca (Massie Lane, former director) and the staff have worked so hard over the last dozen years making it an extraordinarily professional and impressive institution. The phrase the search firm used to describe the museum was that it ‘punches above its weight.’ It’s an accurate description of high-level work being accomplished by a relatively small staff. It’s an impressive museum — and did I mention the beautiful setting? It’s so lovely! I’m delighted to become a part of it and to help shape its future,” Hall said.

John Schnebly, a member of the museum’s board of trustees and chairman of the search committee, said planning for the hiring of a new director began in the summer of 2019. He said a professional consulting firm that specializes in placing people in that type of position was used to conduct a nationwide search for a new museum leader. He said the committee knew someone special was needed to meet the gallery’s needs.

“We wanted to hire someone who could come into a smaller city and into a museum that has art with national prominence and work in that type of environment — and also someone with a minimum of three to five years' experience,” Schnebly said.

He said one of the things that drew the search committee to Hall was her lengthy service at a successful and larger museum that has a similar collection and history as the Museum of Fine Arts — Washington County.

“She has been promoted within the organization, and she was not only involved with the collections and exhibits, but she had also been involved with working with benefactors and fundraising and cultivation of donors, as well,” Schnebly said. “We have a great deal of confidence in her, based on her résumé and based upon many lengthy interviews with her.”

Biggest challenge

Hall said she is most looking forward to the thrill of discovery.

“A new place — in the biggest sense of the word — the museum, the region, the people I will meet. I am looking forward to deep conversations with the staff, board and community about what the museum means to them and how to move forward in what is now, for all of us, an unfamiliar world,” Hall said. “I am looking forward to learning the collection and spending time with the curatorial and education team. I hope one day soon I’ll get to see students in the galleries on field trips again. It’s a hard time for everyone right now, but for museums — where the encounter with authentic objects is a key part of the experience — the pivot to online experiences has been fast. And while it’s been rewarding, we miss people in the galleries.”

She said the biggest challenge is not knowing what the future holds in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Most U.S. museums that have reopened are, of course, seeing steeply declined attendance of 10(%) to 30%. Will the audience bounce back, and when? In the meantime, we need to continue to be nimble and innovative, trying to serve our communities in creative ways. And, we need to try to continue to advance important issues — like diversifying the museum field and audience,” Hall said.

Education efforts

Fairbourn said that, in the near term, Hall and the museum will focus on the challenges of the coronavirus, but he is sure she will seek out community leaders and forge new relationships as she launches into her position.

“In the long term, we want to continue the dynamic exhibits the museum is known for, while redoubling our education efforts,” Fairbourn said.

Hall said that, prior to her coming on board, the museum received a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to develop digital teaching tools. Those tools use the museum’s collection and the self-organized Joshua Johnson exhibition as the backbone for in-depth humanities teaching.

“That’s an exciting current project I’ll be able to help guide,” Hall said. “Developing the museum’s education department is one of the key priorities we discussed through the hiring process — completing the necessary fundraising to endow a full-time director of education. Beyond that, I want to work with the staff to strengthen the good things the museum does; do some work on audience development and capacity building to increase regional tourism; have some fun working with the staff to develop the exhibition program. But, for now, even the biggest museums in the world — the largest tourist draws in the most cosmopolitan cities — are currently community museums because people are not traveling. That’s an advantage for the MFA-WC right now because it is already a strong presence in the community, and we look forward to getting through this alongside everyone else in Washington County.”

She is also excited to learn about her new home and is looking forward to meeting people.

“I hear the biking is wonderful, so I hope to be able to get some rides in fairly soon,” Hall said. “I’m excited to be part of the work being done to strengthen the cultural community. I want to explore some of the surrounding small towns, too. It’s going to be fun settling in.

“I am truly impressed by the warmth of everyone I’ve met and the commitment to the museum’s role in the region. It has me feeling so very welcomed. In spite of the fact that we can’t shake hands or hug, I’m feeling the warmth.”

Hall assumed her new position after Massie Lane retired June 30, after nearly 12 years at the museum.

“Our retiring director has done a splendid job over the past years. She has done a great job with embracing everyone within the entire area, and we look forward to Sarah coming in and ushering in a new era,” Schnebly said.