"Research is formalized curiosity.
It is poking and prying with a purpose."

I am a museum professional who actively challenges what a museum can and should be in the 21st century. A strong speaker, dedicated team member, and accomplished writer, I question what role our cultural organizations play in communities and what they can mean to individuals.

​

Heather Hope is an instructor in the graduate arts administration programs at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and the University of Kentucky, teaching in the areas of ethical and legal issues in the arts and civic engagement. Her past work has ranged from rights management and collections management to museum education and administration for museums across sizes and disciplines. She is published in the areas of museum deaccessioning and the Visual Artists Rights Act and the second edition of her book, A Legal Dictionary for Museum Professionals, is available from Rowman & Littlefield.

Museums are the heartbeat of our communities, collecting our shared history and interpreting it for ourselves and future generations. We tell stories. I believe that as museum professionals, we exert power in choosing which stores we will tell, and how, and to (and with) whom. This is a duty that cannot be taken lightly. Through my work with Agate Creatives, I am working to reimagine what that power structure can look like by challenging who is at the table, whose voices are prioritized and amplified, and more fundamentally how that work is done within the museum framework.

​

#BlackLivesMatter #TransLivesMatter #StopAsianHate #StopJewishHate