Springfield Museum of Art (Ohio)

10/14/2026

10/13/2026

Dear Friends of the Springfield Community,

I am delighted to return to the Springfield Museum of Art as Interim Executive Director. I first served in this role in 2019, a memorable year that included the 50th anniversary of Art Ball and a capital renovation of the North Wing of the Museum. I am joyful to come back and continue what this community has built together.

Over the past twenty-five years, I have led non-profit development, operations, and management. I have supported a wide range of arts and culture organizations, such as the Franklin Park Conservatory, the National Museum of the United States Navy, the International Folk Art Museum, Columbus College of Art & Design, and the New Bedford Whaling Museum. I studied Art History at the University of Pennsylvania, and I have served on the ROY G BIV Gallery board of directors, including as president from 2018 to 2022. My passion is in the arts and building community for all.

I firmly believe the Museum is an irreplaceable community asset. Of course, it offers priceless art and exhibitions, but it also provides valuable programming and services: arts education, a hub for cultural gathering and engagement, and community enrichment opportunities. That breadth is what makes this place so special, and it is what I am most eager to protect and strengthen.

To our members, donors, partners, and friends: please know that the Museum's work continues without interruption. As we begin the search for our next permanent Executive Director, with Benefactor Group conducting the search, you can count on steady, thoughtful leadership. Our exhibitions, programs, and commitments to you will move forward, and I will focus on caring for the relationships and momentum that make this Museum thrive.

Our community appreciates your support and care. Your gifts of time and philanthropy matter today for a bright future for all of Springfield. Come visit the Museum and say hello! Be inspired by all we have to offer.

Thank you for your support.
Warmly,
J.D. Beiting
Interim Executive Director
Springfield Museum of Art

10/09/2026

Registration is now open for our November Youth Art Classes! These will be our last sessions for the year, so sign up today!

Classes are offered for Grades 1-3 and 4-6. Scholarships are available.

While the kids are in class, adults get FREE access to the Springfield Museum of Art's galleries. Learn more at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/cu/OdV5wxt

10/08/2026

Come Find Art is our day of free admission and access to art!

The Springfield Museum of Art will host featured artist, Manami Ishimura, on site for the community to get to meet and speak with her about her work in the newest exhibition, Permeable.

We will also have a free art-making activity for all-ages inspired by the materials used by Ishimura in her installation artwork. We hope you will join us in this celebration of art in the community!

10/07/2026

Exhibitions. Competitions. Residencies. Grants. Calls for artists. There are so many opportunities out there—but knowing where to look, how to apply, and what makes an application stand out can be a whole other story.

This month at Art Chat join us for a conversation about finding and pursuing opportunities that can help move your creative practice forward.

Bring works in progress or finished pieces to get feedback from other community artists. Or take the time to just observe.

Art Chat is always free with no registration required! Learn more at https://www.springfieldart.net/?page_id=13

10/06/2026

Classroom educators gathered at SMoA for a second Community of Learning time together to explore mark-making and art in early childhood. Together, we reflected on the first school visits from SMoA, where we explored earthenware clay for mark-making, and shared observations about changes in how playdough and mark-making were used and supported in the classroom after the clay experience.

When some of the children asked why school was ending early, the teachers shared that they were coming to SMoA, and the children asked if they could come too, remembering their visit and wanting to spend more time doing art!

10/02/2026

Dear Friends,

As I prepare to conclude my time as Executive Director of the Springfield Museum of Art, I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has been part of this remarkable chapter.

To our visitors, members, donors, volunteers, artists, educators, community partners, and supporters: thank you for believing in this Museum and in the power of art to bring people together. Your participation, generosity, ideas, and encouragement have helped the Museum grow in ways that are both visible and deeply felt.

To our staff: it has been an extraordinary privilege to work alongside such a talented, creative, and dedicated team. Your care for the Museum, for one another, and for our community is evident in everything you do. Your talent, resilience, and belief in what this Museum could become have shaped every part of our progress, and I am deeply grateful for all that we have accomplished together.

To our Board and committee members: thank you for your trust, partnership, and thoughtful stewardship. Your generosity, guidance, and commitment have made so much of our progress possible. It has been a privilege to work alongside you in service to the Museum’s mission and future.

I leave deeply proud of what we have built together. We clarified the Museum’s mission and embraced the conviction that art belongs to all people. Together, we completed a transformative capital campaign and reimagined the North Wing; strengthened the Museum’s governance, collections stewardship, and professional practices, and financial foundation, including significant growth in the endowment; and expanded exhibitions, education, and community partnerships, contributing to sustained growth in attendance.

As the Museum approaches its 75th anniversary, it does so with a clearer sense of who it is, whom it serves, and why it matters. More people are discovering this institution, finding themselves reflected here, and coming to think of it as their museum. That spirit of belonging will continue to guide the work ahead.

The Museum is in solid hands. JD Beiting will serve as Interim Executive Director while the Board conducts a national search for the Museum’s next permanent leader. Some of you may remember JD from his service as Interim Executive Director immediately before my appointment. His knowledge of the Museum, extensive leadership experience, and commitment to its success will provide steadiness and continuity throughout the transition. Together with our incredibly dedicated staff, Board, and committees, he will help carry the Museum confidently into its next chapter. Please look for a note from JD next week.

Serving this Museum and the Springfield community has been one of the great privileges of my life. Thank you for your support, your friendship, and the many ways you have made this work meaningful. I will always be proud of what we accomplished together, and I look forward to seeing the Museum continue to grow in strength, reach, and impact.

With profound gratitude—and with an enduring belief that Art Belongs to All People,
Jessimi

10/01/2026

October Events at the Springfield Museum of Art!

ChalkFest
Visit the SMoA tent at this year's ChalkFest at the National Road Commons Park. Watch chalk artists transform the streets into vibrant works of art, then create your own chalk masterpiece!

Youth Art Classes
Youth art classes return to the Springfield Museum of Art! A class will comprise of four weekly sessions. Need-based scholarships are available. Sign up today at

Come Find Art | FREE
Everyone gets to enjoy free admission during Come Find Art! Manami Ishimura will be in the gallery to discuss her work in Permeable | The Breath Which Moves Between, and the studios will be open for hands-on artmaking inspired by the new exhibition.

Art Chat | FREE
Art Chat is a welcoming space for artists to connect, share work, and learn from one another. This session will focus on Applying for Opportunities. Participate through open conversation, informal critique and feedback, show-and-tell, or the option to observe.

Cover Image: Gabriel Bien-Aimé (Haitian, b. 1952), Untitled (The maternal spirit, Erzulie Danto with sacred ritual objects, and VèVè celebrating the fierce and loving mother's heart, pierced with a sword), c. mid-1970-80s, Hand hammered and chisel-cut recycled steel oil drum, 70" x 35" x 4". On loan from the collection of Michael Hodesh and Regina Sansalone.