Pelham Art Center 1

Pelham Art Center Executive Director Lynn Honeysett Annouces Retirement

Written By: Talk of the Sound News

PELHAM, NY — Pelham Art Center Executive Director Lynn Honeysett announced that she plans to leave her position March 1.

At a Board of Directors meeting on November 15, 2017, Ms. Honeysett informed Board members that it was with greatly mixed emotions that she would be retiring from the Art Center she has loved for seven years. Ms. Honeysett and her husband, Tom, who retired from CBS’s 60 Minutes last year, plan to travel extensively and divide their time between their homes in Westchester and Columbia counties. She plans to return to her own art-making and writing. 

A search for a new Executive Director is underway and interviews have begun. The job description can be found on the New York Foundation for the Arts website (nyfa.org), on Pelham Art Center’s site in the About Us, News & Press area http://www.pelhamartcenter.org/about_us/news.cfm and by emailing info@pelhamartcenter.org. The application deadline is January 31, 2018 and is to be submitted by e-mail only. The Search Committee, comprised of Board members and Lynn Honeysett, is managing the hiring of the new Executive Director.

“This is such an exemplary organization that accomplishes so much for its surrounding communities,” said Ms Honeysett. “The new Executive Director will have the opportunity to further broaden Pelham Art Center’s reach, impact and scope in fresh and exciting ways.  I am excited to see how the Art Center evolves as it approaches its 50th year!”  

She went on to comment, “I would like to thank the Pelham Art Center Boards I’ve had the pleasure of working with these past seven years; our outstanding, hardworking and caring staff; and our exceptional artists and artist-instructors.  I am so grateful to this wonderful community for its support of the Art Center – the artists and curators, businesses, organizations, community leaders and residents who understand their good fortune in having this innovative cultural center in their midst.  It has been a true honor serving as ED of Pelham Art Center.”

During her tenure as Executive Director, Ms. Honeysett doubled Pelham Art Center’s free, open to the public cultural art-making workshops and performances.  She created a public art program of regular installation and sculpture exhibitions, first in the Pelham Art Center Courtyard, then working with the Town of Pelham to expand exhibitions to Wolfs Lane Park in a new sculpture garden overseen by the Art Center.  Six years ago Ms. Honeysett brought the successful annual New Rochelle ArtsFest to Pelham as a two-town collaboration and weekend-long free celebration of the arts.  She worked in collaboration with the Pelham Public Library on the town-wide PelhamReads!, and over the years with the Junior League of Pelham on its annual Roundtable. 

Jill Orlando, Chair of the Art Center’s Board and Brian Bober, President of the Art Center’s Board, both noted that the Board received the news of Ms. Honeysett’s departure with regret but wished her great happiness.

“It’s been a pleasure getting to know Lynn over the years, on a professional level and also as a friend,” said Bober.  “I’m excited for her future as well as for the future of the Art Center.”

Added Ms. Orlando, “I am truly sad to see Lynn retire.  She has been an amazing asset to the Pelham Art Center as well as the community.”