We travel to Columbia, SC to speak with Joelle Ryan-Cook, deputy director and director of external affairs at the Columbia Museum of Art. Joelle tells us about her personal history with art museums going back to a reverence instilled in her by her parents. She talks about the tricky business of making art museums accessible to everyone without alienating core devotees and the practical impact of arts education. She also catches us up on all the events and exhibits happening at CMA right now and how you can be a part of it.

Joelle Ryan-Cook is a native of Columbia, SC who’s been dedicated to art her whole life. She’s been at CMA since 1993 when she became a volunteer tour guide as an art history graduate at the University of South Carolina. She’s been an integral part of the museum in the past couple of decades, helping drive the presence of art in the community and becoming Deputy Director & Director of External Affairs. She’s been a major asset to CMA, and Columbia at large, continuing to invest in the community where she was born.