The Arlington Museum of Art recently announced that Vititia M. Williams has joined the team as our new Director of Education. And we couldn’t be more excited!
Vititia Williams has worked as an elementary school visual arts teacher in the Arlington Independent School District for 26 years.
“When Vititia announced her plans to retire from the school district, we seized the opportunity to hire her as Director of Education,” said Chris Hightower, AMA President and CEO. “We know she’ll be an incredible asset for us as well as the community.”
We met Vititia in 2015, the first year she served as an art instructor for our long-running Summer Art Camp program. For decades, the AMA has partnered with AISD to offer our Summer Art Camp to underserved children who, because of their artistic talent and hard work during the school year, attend the week-long camp on a full scholarship.
“We’ve always admired Vititia’s work and how she inspires the kids,” said Hightower.
With extensive experience in visual arts education, curriculum design, ESL, data analysis, strategic direction, and project management, Williams joins the AMA leadership team as the museum prepares for a major upgrade to a much larger facility in the Arlington Entertainment District.
The Arlington Museum of Art will transform over 42,000 square feet inside the Arlington Expo Center into a world-class arts destination by Spring 2024. The new venue will be eight times larger than the museum’s current building. Included in the “New AMA” will be an education center and community gallery, two spaces which will provide Williams room to introduce new programs as well as grow popular AMA traditions for children and adults.
60 Seconds with Vititia
AMA: What have you enjoyed most about working with the AMA Summer Art Camp?
VMW: I love watching the kids come in on the first day not knowing anyone and starting to see friendships form. By the end of the week, kids from different schools who may have never met create strong bonds due to shared talents and interests.
AMA: Why is the partnership between the AMA and AISD special?
VMW: Many Summer Art Camp students have displayed work during Youth Art Month, which takes place in the spring. You can see them develop feelings of connectedness to the major artists they see when they tour the museum’s galleries during the summer. Students really start to view themselves as the artists they are after their art camp experience with AMA.
AMA: Tell us a little more about your education and experience.
VMW: I have a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a number of certifications including Elementary, Grades 1-6; English as a Second Language, Grades EC-12; and Art, Grades EC-12.
AMA: Name one or two of your favorite artists.
VMW: Edward Hopper and contemporary artist Jonathan Green.
AMA: What are 1-3 of your favorite hobbies?
VMW: Baking, listening to music, and bargain shopping!
AMA: Why are you excited to join the AMA team?
VMW: What excites me most about joining the AMA team is that I get to combine two things that I truly enjoy – making learning fun and exploring the world of art. To be surrounded by creativity is a wonderful place to be.
