After 15 Years, Waldman Leaving Hopkinton Center for the Arts

HOPKINTON – Kris Waldman has decided to leave the Hopkinton Center for the Arts (HCA) as its co-Director at the end of this year.

After 15 years of dedicated service to expanding the reach of the arts, first as Board Chair and Executive Director of the Cultural Arts Alliance (CAA) and then in her joint leadership of the Center with Kelly Grill, Waldman’s positive impact is undeniable, said the Center in a press release.

“When Kris first told me and our Board about her decision to move on, we were sad to learn this news, but understood it was borne of her yearning to expand her experiences and apply her creativity in new ways,” said Janet Ceddia, Chair of the Center Board. “Kris explained that after much thoughtful consideration, she wants to reconnect to her own art and that this pandemic has stirred within her a desire to apply her creativity to help those most severely impacted, particularly on issues related to hunger. With such noble ambitions, we are thrilled for Kris and her next adventure.”

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Waldman’s contributions are innumerable. Her major accomplishments include:

• Establishing the HCA as a notable arts center
• Helping to build the HCA barn and performance center by marketing, fundraising, grant writing and project managing the 2014-2015 capital improvement project.
• Expanding the Visual Arts program to include ceramics with more than 100 classes annually, and an Art Exhibition program featuring adventurous
  exhibitions of work by emerging and established artists.
• Increasing student participation from just 66 in 2011 to over 2,200 annually, and drawing visitors from over 340 communities across the US, Canada and Europe.
• Expanding the HCA community by increasing diversity and including people of all abilities
• Improving access with a focus on diversity by offering scholarships, free passes to performances, and complementary programs.
• Establishing art classes for children with autism and adults with developmental disabilities and securing a $100,000, five-year grant with the Lisnow Respite
• Center.
• Winning the 2020 Community Partner Award for an art project where kids explored feelings toward racism, the pandemic, and social unrest.

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Building a sustainable arts center
● Expanding the HCA brand and social marketing to include nearly 30,000 website visitors per year and 5,600 email contacts.
● Introducing non-profit best practices to HCA staff and board members.
● Navigating the HCA through a difficult 2020 with creative programming and fundraising.

Grill will continue on as the sole Executive Director of the HCA and continue to develop the center and the Hopkinton community.

“Although Kris will be deeply missed, with Kelly and the seasoned HCA staff beside her, a smooth transition is expected,” said the Center in a press release.

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Hopkinton Center for the Arts is a non-profit community arts organization that works to create a place for people of all ages and abilities to study, enjoy, and participate in the visual and performing arts under one roof. The Center annually offers over 200 classes to more than 2,000 students. In 2015, the HCA opened its expanded arts center, with newly renovated classrooms, a 200-seat performance space, and gallery spaces. HCA presents over 50 productions and exhibitions a year to audiences from all over Massachusetts that showcases talented local and national artists. To learn more, visit
www.hopartscenter.org.

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