Kimberly Keith was born and raised on the Hilltop in Tacoma and once upon a time she was a student at Jason Lee Junior High (now Middle School) where Hilltop Artists is based. She earned a BA from The Evergreen State College with a focus on art history and studio art. She began working at the Children’s Museum of Seattle in 1992, developing and delivering educational programs, most specifically for at-risk youth and diverse audiences, who resided in public housing. She then moved to the Museum of Glass in 2001, where she developed the Remann Hall Women’s Project (which was the origin point of Hilltop Artists’ Arts Connect program) and several other education programs.
Kimberly went on to earn a Master of Non-Profit Leadership from Seattle University in 2004, moved to London in 2005, and in 2011 she earned her PhD in Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London, researching how US and UK museum practitioners develop and engage diverse audiences in relation to disparate organizational cultures and strategic policies. As the first person in her immediate family to go to college, she took that opportunity seriously and pursued education to its fullest extent – which is a value she hopes to nurture in the youth at Hilltop Artists.
Hilltop Artists is a youth development arts nonprofit in Tacoma, Washington operating deeply impactful programs since 1994 with broad community support, and a track record of success. Hilltop Artists serves over 650 students a year ages 12 – 26 through its programming, providing tuition-free glass instruction, mentorship, and collaborative leadership opportunities.This is anti-racist work guided by justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, with an understanding of trauma-informed care and social and emotional learning.
Hilltop Artists is dedicated to its mission:
Using glass art to connect young people from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds to better futures.
This is a live in-gallery talk that will also be live- streamed via FB and YouTube.
Special thanks to the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass for their support of this exhibition.