I am thrilled to join Berkshire Art Center, an organization that has been deeply engaged in community work. I look forward to collaborating with the talented team, as well as the artists, community partners, and individuals with whom I have established connections over the years. This is a crucial moment to enhance the center’s role in utilizing creativity as a powerful catalyst for personal healing, social connection, and community transformation.

So excited to be brought back this fall to teaching Museum Studies and Intro to Art History at MCLA. Just finished putting together my syllabus. The essential question for Museum Studies is: In what ways do museums succeed or fail in providing pro-social opportunities for healing, inspiring, and enhancing the well-being, happiness, and success of individuals and communities?The essential question for Intro to Art History is: What are the ways in which art history can deepen our insights into creativity's role in shaping societies and individuals?

Breathing Space mindfulness and creativity coaching with Laura Thompson, EdD provides heart-centered discussions with expressive arts-integrated meditation workshops to bring out your full creativity and enhance emotional wellbeing. I offer online group workshops and individual coaching.

As a member of the R & R faculty, I instruct in meditation, chanting, mindful creativity, slow looking, forest baths, and creative rituals, while also facilitating share circles. My aim is to infuse healing and transformational creative experiences into both individual and collective mindsets. Additionally, I lead Reclaim Your Creativity retreats four times a year.

With over three decades of curatorship experience, notably over twenty years at MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA, where I held dual roles as the founding director of education and curator of Kidspace, I offer a wealth of expertise to this venture. My curatorial philosophy, refined through my tenure at MASS MoCA, underscores the exploration of social justice themes through art, alongside the integration of mindfulness practices for personal evolution and enrichment. Furthermore, my specialization lies in crafting educational resources and devising programs to elevate visitor experiences and foster profound engagement with the exhibited themes and artworks.Moreover, I bring extensive consultancy experience in various museum domains, including Curating for Social Justice, Curating for Children, Art Education Programming, ArtInSight Museum Pedagogy and Training, Curriculum Design, and Grant Writing.On the academic front, I serve as a Guest Lecturer, offering insights into diverse topics, including Academic Writing and Mentorship.

Course DescriptionMindfulness strategies incorporated into artmaking, museum, and classroom-based cultural literacystrategies. Support yourself and your students' social emotional learning and well-being throughexperiential, embodiment practices including art integrated expression, meditation, yoga, andmuseum-based visual thinking. Make virtual visits to a variety of art collections as tools for exploringartistic opportunities for individual and collective meaning-making and healing. Investigate diverseartists and artwork as springboards for discussions about personal values; political, spiritual, andsocial systems; and social justice. A supplemental, full-day in person workshop in the Berkshires willexplore mindfulness practices in MASS MoCA and the Clark Art Institute. A trip to the top of Mt.Greylock for early evening meditation and plein air painting will follow the day at the museums. (Analternative assignment is available for those who are unable to attend the in-person event). Leave thiscourse with a refreshed view of the role of museums in your classroom and the tools to developmindfulness-based art lesson plans and artwork.Student reviews:The course met my expectations with highly engaging discussions, lessons, and real-worldexperiences. It integrated museum-based learning and used mindfulness techniques forpersonal and teacher tools through museum resources.I thought that the class was very balanced in how we talked about both art, museums &mindfulness. I thought that the readings were really informative and enjoyable to read. Thediscussions we had were great and I really enjoyed how we incorporated different mindfulnessinto the course, not just talking about them.In a matter of a few short weeks, Laura was truly able to create a community. I felt heard,appreciated, and valued in what I had to share.Laura was incredible with creating a positive class, and always prompted students for theirhonest opinions on the content.

As the Founding Director of Education at MASS MoCA, my role encompassed a diverse array of responsibilities aimed at creating engaging and inclusive educational experiences for various audiences. This involved developing educational materials and interdisciplinary programs tailored for adults, teens, families, and school groups. I actively pursued funding opportunities by researching and crafting grant proposals to support our educational initiatives and facilitated workshops catered to teachers, students, and families.Moreover, I played a pivotal role in formulating strategic plans for future exhibitions, programs, and organizational growth, while also overseeing a dedicated team of full-time and part-time staff as well as interns. I established fruitful partnerships with local schools and community organizations to broaden our outreach efforts.In addition to these responsibilities, I assumed leadership roles in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the institution through staff training and committee participation. In response to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, I led innovative projects, including virtual public programs centered on anti-racism and the arts, and collaborative initiatives with the Department of Children and Families to provide essential family programs and art camps.As the curator of Kidspace, I curated 35 socially conscious exhibitions, including notable exhibitions such as "Here Comes the Sun: Federico Uribe and Nick Cave," "Cavernous: Wes Sam-Bruce," "Come to Your Senses: Consenses with Sally Taylor," "Still I Rise" featuring artists Gustave Blache III, E2 - Kleinveld & Julien, Genevieve Gaignard, Tim Okamura, and Deborah Roberts, "Wendy Red Star: Apsáalooke: Children of the Large-Beaked Bird," "The Breath of Empty Space" by Shaun Leonardo, and "Love" by Anne Samat. For a comprehensive list of exhibitions, please visit (https://massmoca.org/past-kidspace-exhibitions/).

From September 2002 to October 2012, I served as the Director of Exhibitions and Education for Kidspace at MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA, a collaborative initiative involving the Clark Art Institute, Williams College Museum of Art, and MASS MoCA. In this capacity, I held oversight of all facets of the gallery and studio, which included curating contemporary art exhibitions featuring esteemed artists and coordinating associated programs and resources tailored for children, educators, and families. Among my curated exhibitions were collaborations with artists of note such as Devorah Sperber, Long-Bin Chen, Tim Rollins, Linda Price-Sneddon, Gajin Fujita, James Grashaw, Aurora Robson, and Victoria Palermo. My responsibilities encompassed the expansion of artist residency programs, grant writing, the development of educational resources and partnerships, as well as the supervision of staff and interns, and strategic planning initiatives.

Taught a 4 week course every January titled "Experiments in Mindfulness and the Art Museum"

Taught art history and arts administration courses over the years including "Museum Studies" and "Curatorial Practices."

Oversaw school programs including tours, volunteer docent program, internships, educational resources, and programs for families. Also developed child-friendly labels and exhibition components, as well curated several community gallery exhibitions.