MACAA Arts Administrator Spotlight – Murielle Gaither

My name is Murielle Gaither, and I serve as the Executive Director of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri located in Downtown Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The official address of our gallery is 32 N. Main Street.

How long have you been with your organization?

I have been fortunate enough to serve as ED of the Arts Council for going on 4 years now! I started on October 1, 2011 (a Saturday!), and most of my time during those first few weeks was spent going through old files and documents to try to orient myself.

How did you start in the arts? I can remember being interested in fashion and art, starting at a young age, but I had always wanted to pursue a business degree and perhaps a profession in International Business. The summer before my senior year of high school, I attended a summer session at Yale University. I signed up for an International Business course and, on a whim, decided to take an Art History course. The Art History course was 3 hours long, in a dimly lit room twice a week (after lunch!), and I remember being nervous about falling asleep. However, quite the opposite happened. I was hooked. My love for art was born in that dark room, as slide after slide of art from Prehistory to the Renaissance passed before my eyes. During that first class, I developed an immense appreciation for the way that art has shaped society, and vice versa. After I graduated from high school, I knew exactly what I wanted to study and I ended up graduating from Vanderbilt University in the Spring of 2011 with a Bachelor’s degree in Art History and a Business minor.

What is the most rewarding part of your position or your most favorite program?

We have so many it is hard to choose just one! They are all my favorites for different reasons. Personally, I love the First Friday Art Walk that we coordinate downtown. Recently, we took over management of First Fridays, and it has been such a delight to see the way the community has embraced the monthly event by staying open for later hours on First Fridays, hosting artists or special promotions, and with their monetary support. If I get the chance to slip out on a First Friday, I am greeted with a lively street scene of lighted windows and lots of foot traffic. There is a great energy for that event and it is very rewarding to know our organization was part of making that happen. We have also introduced stamp-card events on First Fridays, with the most recent one being a Pets Night Out in June. Around 60 dogs and their people turned out for treats, pet pit stops, a photo booth, caricatures, and a costume contest!
Another favorite is a new event titled the Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on Broadway.During the one-year, temporary display of public art, the Public Art Committee selects seven sculptures to be exhibited in various spots along one of the busiest streets in our community. We estimate that nearly 2 million pedestrians and motorists view the exhibit annually, which is an immensely humbling number. One of the reasons this event is a favorite is because of all of the collaboration it takes to coordinate the show—we have the privilege to work with the Cape Chamber of Commerce, the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Cape, Old Town Cape (a downtown revitalization organization), and Chris Wubbena who is a local artist and sculptor. Through these relationships, a lot has been accomplished and it is incredibly fulfilling to be part of such a quality program that reaches so, so many.

Are you an artist yourself, and if so, what type of art?

I am actually not an artist! But I am an appreciator and admirer of art and artists (as well as a collector, much to my husband’s dismay!!).