The Art Academy of Cincinnati started the 2024-2025 academic year with the appointment of Emily Holtrop as our Chair of the Board of Trustees!
Emily is a longstanding arts and education advocate who has made tremendous impact throughout her career in Cincinnati. In her role at the Cincinnati Art Museum (CAM), she oversees the museum’s interpretive and educational initiatives, which include public programs for all audiences and abilities as well as gallery interpretation. She was awarded the prestigious National Museum Education Art Educator award in 2018.
Through her role at CAM, she shares a common historical thread with all of us at AAC. Beginning in 1884, AAC was a museum school within the Cincinnati Museum Association, of which CAM was a part. We became an independent college of art and design in 1998 and continued to operate in a building adjacent to CAM. We moved to our current home in Over-the-Rhine in 2005. (You can read more about our 155-year history here.)
We’re so pleased that Emily is contributing her leadership to AAC as Chair and that we’re continuing a shared legacy with CAM. Get to know Emily a little more in this Q&A.
The Art Academy of Cincinnati started the 2024-2025 academic year with the appointment of Emily Holtrop as our Chair of the Board of Trustees!
Emily is a longstanding arts and education advocate who has made tremendous impact throughout her career in Cincinnati. In her role at the Cincinnati Art Museum (CAM), she oversees the museum’s interpretive and educational initiatives, which include public programs for all audiences and abilities as well as gallery interpretation. She was awarded the prestigious National Museum Education Art Educator award in 2018.
Through her role at CAM, she shares a common historical thread with all of us at AAC. Beginning in 1884, AAC was a museum school within the Cincinnati Museum Association, of which CAM was a part. We became an independent college of art and design in 1998 and continued to operate in a building adjacent to CAM. We moved to our current home in Over-the-Rhine in 2005. (You can read more about our 155-year history here.)
We’re so pleased that Emily is contributing her leadership to AAC as Chair and that we’re continuing a shared legacy with CAM. Get to know Emily a little more in this Q&A.
How long have you been serving on the Board of Trustees at the Art Academy? Had you been affiliated with our school before then?
I have been on the Board since 2022 and have loved being part of the energy of the school. In my role as Director of Learning & Interpretation at CAM, the AAC has always been at the forefront of my work. CAM and AAC are long-time partners, and our history runs very deep.
Tell us about what connects you to the mission of the Art Academy.
Art has always been such an important part of my life, as has education. My mom was a middle school art and home economics teacher, and my dad an English and speech teacher in the Michigan prison system—so education was always important in our house. When other kids were going to Disney World, we were going to Plymouth Plantation. I say this to illustrate that the mission of the school to be a space for creativity and learning is at the core of my being. It is a place where I feel at home.
AAC and CAM go way back. In your opinion, how would you say our institutions align? How do you envision our shared future?
Both the CAM and AAC are non-traditional learning environments focused on art and design, and as such, we cannot help but align. It is both of our responsibilities to foster the next generation of artists and art scholars. Through greater partnership between AAC and CAM, we can create opportunities for AAC students to be in the museum, learn from our collections and staff, and see a future working in the arts. Also, I would like to see more interaction with AAC students in planning for the CAM’s future—they are part of our community, and their voices are valued.
In your new role as Chair of the Board of Trustees, what impact do you aim to make on behalf of our students and our greater arts community?
Wow, I think this is a work in progress, but I would say at this point, I want to make the community much more aware of AAC and the great work the school is doing, not only for the students who attend the school but also for the immediate community of Over-the-Rhine and Greater Cincinnati. I want our students, faculty and staff to be recognized for the amazing work they are doing and to have pride that they are representing AAC. Great awareness = greater support!
We’ve just begun the school year, and there are so many things to look forward to! What would you say you’re looking forward to the most?
While we have a few big events coming up, like BLINK, I am always excited to come to exhibition openings and to see student work. Even though I am surrounded by art at the CAM, I know these works. I love seeing new art by new artists.
AAC students, please invite me to your studios! I want to see your work and talk to you about your process—that is what gets me excited!
