“Ripping out the hedges.”
Part of Speech: Phrase 
Origin: The Cummer Museum of Arts and Gardens, Jacksonville, Florida.
Meaning: A radical move designed to refresh or restart a project.

“Ripping out the hedge” is now a part of my phraseology, thanks to Hope McMath, director of the Cummer Museum of Arts and Gardens and the powerhouse behind the museum’s refresh in the past few years. With her genuine desire to make the Cummer relevant to all of Jacksonville, she is tapping into the community by utilizing more local artist collaborations, renewing focus on the children and young professionals programming, and lots more. Most of these significant changes started with ripping out the hedges, but let’s back up.

Hope’s love of the arts started out as a family affair, with her grandparents taking her to the Toledo Museum of Art when she would visit them in Ohio. Her grandfather shared his passion for art by showing her that, like him, she didn’t need a formal art education or a personal gallery at home to appreciate art. His passion shaped her into a self-professed “art nerd,” and prompted her to obtain her degree in studio art and art history and produce her own art. In 2009, Hope started working at the Cummer as a part-time art educator, and like a lot of now staunch supporters of Jacksonville, she didn’t think she was staying, but we can see how that turned out.

Calling herself a “reluctant director,” Hope identifies as an educator first, but it certainly seems like she fills out the role quite nicely. Since she started out as a Museum Educator for the children’s side of the museum, education plays a large part in the current direction of the museum. Not a fan of hierarchy, Hope chooses to maintain an equal level of authority with her staff. However, it’s Hope’s ability and willingness to listen and observe that has led her to make some significant changes to the tone and direction of the museum early on in her role as director.

Here’s where “ripping out the hedges” comes in.

Surprised by the lack of attendance on Saturdays, Hope decided to do an experiment to see how she could attract the crowds that the Riverside Arts Market was bringing in right next door. For six Saturdays straight, she sat out on the front steps of the museum and observed passersby’s reaction to the museum. She focused her attention on “the people who weren’t using [the museum] rather than the ones who were.” One of the biggest observations she made as people walked past was their reaction to the building itself, and the row of dark leafy hedges surrounding the museum. Hope then realized that the hedge was a physical barrier, a literal wall between the museum and the rest of the community. This hedge sent a quiet, subtle, unwelcoming message to patrons who were new to the arts, and she realized it had to go. So, she had the hedges ripped out and brought sculptures out to the front lawn. Removing the hedges made the campus feel more open and accessible for all who walked, drove, or biked by. Noticing that an admission price was a deterrent for some people resulted in funding from Florida Blue for the free admission on first Saturdays of each month. However, for Hope, this is more than just the money–it’s about making sure everyone in the city can come and see what is new at the museum. Hope and her staff are certainly seeing the results; weekend museum attendance went from 200 to 2,000 people.

One of Hope’s favorite parts about these new changes is choosing art exhibits that affect the community, providing a space to discuss that effect. Her goal is to connect history with contemporary challenges, and that goal has brought art into the Cummer that would not have been displayed 10 years ago. She chooses thought-provoking exhibits because she wants the Cummer “to be a place where people can connect with issues in a different way.” While the Cummer is a safe space, she certainly doesn’t want it to be comfortable. Her idea is to use art to challenge preconceived ideas, whether they be political or personal, and to help our city move forward. Right now her favorite exhibit is Deep River by Whitfield Lovell, which you should definitely check out!

From CoRK to our wonderful writing community, the art scene has a lot to offer. Hope is building a bridge from the museum art world to the Jacksonville arts community. That collaboration seems to be a success, and the #JAXOutings Project is life-sized proof. Many of you have seen the larger than life images on dilapidated buildings around town. The inspiration for the project was based on a project started by a French artist and was brought to Hope’s attention by the Jacksonville artist community. When she saw the project, she immediately jumped on board and started working with artists around the city to make the project a reality. Each of the pieces around town is part of the Cummer’s permanent collection and is placed in such a way to bring “artful moments” into everyday routines. Seeing Baroque musicians on the side of Burro Bar certainly changes the context–and accessibility–of the artwork, giving a whole new perspective on the classical piece. A new perspective is exactly what Hope is trying to cultivate in our city with each project.

To ensure a lively, strong future for the museum, Hope will continue to build a foundation which engages families and children. If you haven’t been to the children’s side of the museum, you should go–it’s an enjoyable experience for all. To engage the young professional community, recent programming and partnerships with TEDx are designed to engage and promote conversations with all sections of our community. Hope has also foreseen a change in future of donations, comparing it to the crowdfunding framework. Instead of a few large scale donations, she thinks museums will be funded by lots of little donations from thousands of people throughout the year, and she wants programming to reflect that. In her plans for future programs, Hope wants to play up the unique physical aspect and location of the museum and the gardens, juggling the connection between art, the environment, and people.

It’s all about focusing on community, making the leap from an untouchable art institution to a place where people of all ages and income feel welcome. With Hope in charge, the museum will always bring the best it has in order to stay relevant. In Hope’s own words, “We have to offer up the best experience, a wide array of experiences.” Check out how the Cummer is delivering on this promise by checking out the latest exhibits and upcoming programs!

Hope McMath