GLENS FALLS, NY.- Jenny Hutchinson, a native of Queensbury, has been appointed the new head of Museum Education at The Hyde Collection.

In this role, Hutchinson will design and grow The Hyde’s full slate of educational and public programs, which includes workshops, lectures, drop-in sessions, tours, demonstrations, and community outreach. These programs serve a wide range of audiences, including children, adults, families, and students.

Since the start of 2016, The Hyde has experienced a 41% percent growth in visitorship. Building on this momentum, Hutchinson will focus on creating new opportunities to engage visitors through programs that enhance the level of understanding and relevance of the Museum’s collections and special exhibitions.

“We are excited to bring Jenny’s enthusiasm and talent to The Hyde,” said director Erin Coe. “Her experience in the arts community, and in developing exceptional programs for the public to create and enjoy visual art, is vital to the educational mission of our museum.”

For the past six years, Hutchinson has served as Gallery Curator and Program and Marketing Coordinator at the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council (LARAC), where she represented more than 200 artists each year through exhibits at the Lapham Gallery. She also created the current LARAC brand and logo while coordinating a diverse schedule of arts and cultural events and programs for artists and the community. She expanded the gallery’s reach to include national artists, created programs for artists of all ages, and showcased a variety of traditional mediums along with new media. She brought renowned artists such as Sigmund Abeles to Glens Falls, and she developed the collaborative 120° Intercollegiate Art Regional, which introduced art students to professional practice and local opportunities.

“The Hyde has an incredible collection and we are fortunate to have such significant works of art available to our community right here in our own backyard,” said Hutchinson. “Working in the arts community in Glens Falls is my passion, and I'm encouraged by its increasingly vibrant arts atmosphere. I look forward to being part of The Hyde's innovative and knowledgeable team, bringing with me the respect I have for this community and its artists.”

Hutchinson has taught design and drawing at SUNY Adirondack for the past four years, and she is a contributing member to the newly formed Arts District of Glens Falls. A professional artist living in Glens Falls, she specializes in oil painting and drawing.

Hutchinson earned an MFA from Clemson University and a BA from SUNY Plattsburgh. She assumes her new duties as Museum Educator on April 18.