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Louanne Greenwald, Hilliard Art Museum Director, became fascinated with creative expression through the arts as a teenager. Today, she works to spread the incredible joy she felt at her first major exhibit in Akron, Ohio where she grew up. The beauty of an exhibit by Julian Schnabel who was known for his “plate paintings” —large-scale paintings set on broken ceramic plates, remains with her. Providing access to high-quality arts for all to find their own creativity is Louanne Greenwald’s life’s work.
Before Ms. Greenwald was appointed Director of the Hilliard University Art Museum in July 2014, she worked as a consultant in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles raising funds for educational institutions. In Los Angeles, she served as curator and educator for the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the MAK Center for Art and Architecture.
A native of Ohio, Greenwald earned a Master of Fine Arts from USC- Los Angeles and is a Certified Fund-Raising Executive.
Her vision for the museum is one where the Hilliard Art Museum is not exclusive to the fine arts community or the university; Greenwald feels programming needs to be diverse, responsive to the community and considerate of the city’s many constituencies.
Ms. Greenwald envisions the museum as a bridge between the University and the community, connecting the culture of our region to a broader national and international discourse, and promoting lifelong learning through the arts. In the first two years of her tenure, she has expanded the museum’s hours, increased staff and established free Wednesday night programs featuring the research and talents of UL faculty from across campus.
Located on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus not far from downtown and the Oil Center, the museum is comprised of two buildings, the original 1967 A. Hays Town plantation-style house and the newer state-of-the-art Hilliard Museum with three exhibition galleries and a gift shop featuring crafts by local artists. The museum and adjacent grounds are a popular venue for private events and campus gatherings.
Special gratitude to Paul and LuLu Hilliard for their major pledge of funding to build the museum was expressed during this Discover Lafayette interview.
To discover more about the Hilliard Art Museum, visit http://www.hilliardmuseum.org.
*Note that the Hilliard Art Museum the Hilliard Art Museum will be reopening to the public on Tuesday, August 18, 2020, after having temporarily closed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Early access will be granted to members (August 4 – 15) and our UL Lafayette campus community (August 11 – 15). Updated on July 22, 2020.
