, a double alumnus of Â鶹´«Ã½'s School of Art and an accomplished and dedicated arts administrator, is the recipient of 2022 Emerging Professional of the Year Award. This award recognizes exceptional promise and potential for emerging professionals in the museum field.
While attending Â鶹´«Ã½, Smith Hernandez studied studio art, with a concentration in textiles, receiving a B.F.A. and an M.F.A. After graduation, she began working with exhibitions as a graduate assistant to the director of the School of Art Collection & Galleries, where she assisted with exhibition design, logistics and installation, the training and supervising of undergraduate employees and management of the Art Collection. In 2017, she became a museum assistant at the Massillon Museum, where she worked on database management, workshops and coordination for the annual community Island Party.
In 2018, Smith Hernandez began work as a gallery assistant at Transformer Station, a contemporary art museum on Cleveland’s west side. She became the gallery manager of the museum in 2017, where she coordinated countless exhibitions, managed the collection, served as an artist liaison and developed website and social media content. Her work at Transformer Station concluded in March 2023, when the museum is transferred to The Cleveland Museum of Art. Smith Hernandez now serves as the digital media and special projects manager for FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art. A destination event that positions Northeast Ohio as a global cultural hub, FRONT is a contemporary art triennial that delivers world-class art exhibitions, projects and programs through a network of partnerships with museums across the region. During FRONT’s second edition triennial in 2022, Smith Hernandez worked closely with FRONT Deputy Director and Director of Exhibitions Sarah Spinner Liska to manage operations and programs across the region. This vast project required extraordinary dedication, flexibility and hard work. During this time, Smith Hernandez also single-handedly managed FRONT’s robust social media channels, developing near-daily creative content over the course of the three-month exhibition period. Finally, Smith Hernandez also managed FRONT’s inaugural internship program, overseeing the experience of four college interns with the triennial team during Summer 2022.
About Ohio Museums Association
The Ohio Museums Association (OMA) is the leading advocate for connecting and empowering Ohio museums and museum professionals. Founded in 1976 by members of Ohio’s museum community, the Ohio Museums Association is committed to serving our state’s museum professionals and institutions through career resources, professional development opportunities, networking events and advocacy on a state and national level. OMA works with a variety of museums, museum professionals and providers of museum services to strengthen the state’s museum, foster excellence in the field and support the museum community.
Image: Allison Smith Hernandez photographed by Eileen Lee, AURA AURA