Anna Pugh (‘18)

Membership Coordinator: Frist Art Museum

Nashville, TN
WFU Class of 2018
Major: Studio Art
Minors: Art History and Biology

Maya Whitaker (’19): Please walk me through your path from graduation day to your current job.

Anna Pugh (’18): I moved to Nashville after graduation because I had family who lived in the area, but I didn’t have many connections before I got there so I spent my first year or so taking all and any opportunity I could. Some of my roles included mural repairer, gallery intern, retail worker, museum volunteer, artist assistant, hair salon receptionist… Eventually I landed in a place where I was working part time as a gallery associate at a the Tinney Contemporary gallery in downtown Nashville and as a guest and membership services associate at the Frist Art Museum. I was also spending my time out of work making artist portfolio websites which served as a great net to fall on when the world locked down in 2020. Once things began to open again, I moved towards a full time position as Membership Coordinator at the Frist Art Museum. And of course, I was carving out time along the way to create and show art of my own.

Maya: How much did your studies and general experience at Wake inform or drive your career path?

Anna: Wake really provided me with exposure to a wide range of amazing artwork from around the world both with the rotating exhibitions at Hanes gallery, and also through programs that took me to art capitals like the Venice Biennale and the NYC trip with the Management in Visual Arts course. Being able to learn about the exhibition process as an artist through stART gallery was also an especially important experience, which I have taken with me into my roles in both galleries and museums alike. And as one last add on I can’t emphasize enough beneficial writing skill are both as a visual artist and as an arts professional. It’s inescapable and there are so many forms (grant writing, copywriting, academic…) so I would encourage every art student to practice and to take advantage of Wake’s writing resources.

Maya: How did you find and apply to the various positions you’ve held? Any tips or suggestions for the student audience on networking, interviewing and applying for jobs?

Anna: I have to say, I don’t think I got a single opportunity – both job career and artist career related – that did not come from a connection with a friend or a friend of a friend. My biggest advice is to pursue community and to ask your peers and mentors if they know someone who is working in the city you are moving to or in the area you’d like to work/study. The more conversations you have the more you will learn and the more friendly faces you will have to talk to as your move along in your career. Your peers are also sometimes your biggest net of support – so if you don’t see an opportunity available see if you can make something happen yourselves.

Maya: What is your favorite part of living and working in Nashville?

Anna: Nashville is growing at an incredible rate, which is has its growing pains but is also very exciting. It’s a creative city full of events and music – and yes also art. The First Saturday Art Crawls are one of my favorite events to frequent. There are also little pockets of artists showing their work in unconventional spaces, apartments, and backyard garden sheds which are equally amazing.

Maya: What is your favorite part about where you work?

Anna: The Frist Art Museum is a non-collecting museum so we are constantly bringing in different exhibitions from around the world. It keeps my art exposure high! My colleagues also bring an incredible range of talent. Good people can make all the difference, and I’ve made a lot of friends through the museum as well.

Maya: Any other kernel of advice you’d like to impart to the readers?

Anna: A career related piece of advice I would give to any art student is that art galleries, museums, and other art-centered spaces need admin, accountants, IT, editors, educators, writers and so it might as well be someone who also loves art! If there is something that you are enjoy doing or can do better than most that isn’t art related lean into it. For me, I really enjoyed creating artist portfolio websites and that skill has fed into each step of my career so far.