GLOUCESTER, MASS.- The Cape Ann Museum welcomed Miranda Aisling as the new Education Manager. Her mission is to reconnect art to daily life, a purpose she brings to her new work developing programs for the Museum including a new virtual lecture series this month.

“As a practicing artist and community organizer, I believe that creativity is an innate human skill,” says Aisling. “Some people suppress it, others develop it, but everyone has it. In my new role at the Cape Ann Museum, I’m excited to create avenues to celebrate and amplify the incredible creativity in this community, both past and present.”

Among one of her first initiatives, in response to the continued state-wide limit on large gatherings, is to bring the Museum’s gallery talks online with the CAM Virtual Lecture Series. The first such event was held on January 29.

Up next on Friday, February 26 at 1:00 pm, as part of Black History Month, the Museum will present “African Americans in Essex County” with Dr. Kabria Baumgartner, University of New Hampshire, and Dr. Elizabeth Duclos-Orsello, Salem State University. These two scholars have spent the past two years visiting historic repositories throughout Essex County, including the Cape Ann Museum, to collect, compile, and catalog the rich history of African Americans in this area. Their report, African Americans in Essex County, was funded by the National Park Service and will be released later this spring.

“Miranda has hit the ground running, developing two timely virtual presentations in her first month on the job,” says Oliver Barker, Museum Director. “I look forward to working with Miranda and the rest of our dynamic staff to bring exciting, new programming to the Cape Ann community and beyond as we continue to navigate these historic times.”

Aisling previously built and ran a non-profit called Miranda’s Hearth with the mission of building community through creativity that is approachable, affordable, and accessible. She also worked as the Director of Visual Arts & Operations at The Umbrella Arts Center in Concord, Mass., and was an educator at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She holds a master’s of education degree in community art from Lesley University and a bachelor’s of art degree in painting and pottery from Mary Baldwin University.