After months of research, planning, writing proposals, countless meetings, and innumerable stressful and sleepless nights, I can finally share the next phase of my professional journey. On September 3, 2024, I began my new position as Director of The Carnegie Center for Arts and History in Jackson, TN. The Carnegie was an original Andrew Carnegie library - the first library in my city. It has a rich history of bringing knowledge and experiences from the rest of the world to our community as a library and now as a museum.
The space currently contains a regional music history museum and is home to the most substantial collection of Carl Perkins artifacts in the United States. The building has three primary gallery spaces on the top floor, as well as a theatre and an educational space in the basement. So the real question is, what I am doing here? Why would I leave a steady (and sometimes coveted) full-time, tenure track position at a university to take over a small museum?
Throughout my career, I’ve struggled with living in a place that had very little available art for the community or support for working artists. If you live on the coasts, it is easy to forget that those of us in “fly-over country” often exist on tiny islands, with little or no support. Educational opportunities, gallery space, creative community, and funding basically don’t exist depending on where you live.
“Why don’t you move?” you might say.
This is our home. These are my people. Is someone living in a non-metropolitan city less deserving of art or art experiences? Wouldn’t it be more meaningful to at least try to create a place that artists could show their work to an overlooked community? Why shouldn’t a single mom coming off of a long shift at a local factory not have the opportunity to see something that reminds her of life’s value and mystery?
Several years ago, I started a small, guerrilla street gallery that showed work that I can confidently say many of my community members would never have seen otherwise. It wasn’t chic, it was held together on a shoestring budget, and I didn’t make a penny.
That dusty storefront showed me that you don’t have to have a million dollar budget or the best frames or a full staff to give art to the people. Maybe I am ignorant, but I don’t believe that art is just a commodity to be bought and sold by the affluent to flaunt their wealth. I still believe the point of making something and sending it into the world is to remind others that they are not alone and this brief life is so very special despite the haunting feeling of insignificance.
So what can we do with a 120 year old library with little to no funding, no endowment, and only one full-time staff member (that would be me for now)? Who in their right mind would leave a steady job as a professor to create an island for artists to rest, renew, and share their work (yep, still me)? Aren’t you going to need a tremendous amount of help (are you offering?)?
The long journey begins in a new chapter for Jackson, TN and me. There is a lot at stake here, for both me and this beautiful old building. I wish I could do it on my own, but truly much of what the future holds will be from the generosity, advice, and sweat equity of others. So if you are driving down I-40, stop by and see me. I’ll be at 305 East College Street toiling away, hoping for something beautiful.
All the best,
Aaron
(P.S. - here is me on my first day after I watched enough YouTube videos to tie a Double Windsor)
Aaron, this is awesome. I love your thinking about it, and I am very curious how you will use your low budget and high accesibility mindset to sharing art in your commuity. I feel it's a worthy and VERY courageous choice to let go of the obvios and seek the meaningful. Enjoy the ride my friend!
Incredibly excited to witness your work here. Congrats!