Growing the team
Leslie Hammond is joining the LILAC Foundation.
Leslie Hammond [Photo by Tammy Griffin – Tammy Portrait Artist]
Anyone who moves in art circles in Marion County knows, or has heard of, Leslie Hammond.
Hammond, who holds a Ph.D. in art history and archaeology, with a minor in museum studies, formerly served as curator at the Appleton Museum of Art. She owns her own business, Artistic Eye Fine Art Services, through which she does appraisals and consulting, and is nationally recognized for her expertise in arts valuation, collection care and cultural documentation.
She sits on the board of the Marion Cultural Alliance, Ocala Metro Arts Council and the Humane Society of Marion County and serves on the advisory council for the Magnolia Art Xchange, or MAX.
Hammond is the recipient of numerous scholarships and Fulbright and Samuel H. Kress fellowships, which supported her dissertation research on ancient ceramics in Greece. Her field experiences include decades of work in Greece as well as projects in Cyprus and Egypt. She has taught courses in the arts and humanities, has juried/judged various projects and shows, and is published. She most recently was an art appraiser for the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where she worked with the IRS and the Commissioner’s Fine Arts Advisory Panel.
As of Sept. 2, Hammond will add to her resume the title of director of strategic initiatives for the LILAC Foundation, under which exists the nonprofit Arts in Health Ocala Metro.
The LILAC Foundation (Lisa Irwin Legacy for Arts & Culture) is a private nonprofit foundation based in Ocala. Through its three pillars—Arts in Health, Elevating Futures and Opportunity for All—LILAC works to make creativity and culture more accessible to everyone in Marion County, especially those who are often excluded from traditional systems of access and support, according to a news release announcing Hammond’s appointment.
The foundation was founded by Lisa Irwin, the former owner of the NOMA Gallery, the founder of Arts in Health Ocala Metro and an emeritus member of the Marion Cultural Alliance. She also has real estate interests and advocates for the arts, equitable community development and creative wellness initiatives throughout Central Florida, the release noted.
Lisa Irwin [Photo by Ralph Demilio]
“Lisa started the foundation and is so swamped with her other business ventures she doesn’t have time to do all the things she wants to do. My role is going to be focused on connections with the community,” Hammond offered.
“The short-term goal is to really reconnect with community leaders and see where the needs are for Marion County and, through those conversations, open the dialog to see how we can grow the LILAC Foundation,” she added.
Hammond said her two “big passions” in life have always been the arts and animals.
“Over the years, I’ve involved at different levels with different organizations, like the Ocala Symphony Orchestra and the Appleton and other things, but recently I’ve been able to add some more things to my plate, so this is another opportunity for me to rachet up,” she shared.
“Having Leslie on board is honestly a dream come true,” Irwin noted in the news release. “We’ve had a lot in common for a long time. She’s sharp, creative and brings a calm, strategic presence that makes everything feel doable.”
Irwin and Hammond also share something else: both are navigating life with long COVID.
“We work in a way that honors both the ambition and the reality of what our bodies are capable of. We’ve taken some initial steps toward developing an arts-based program for others living with long COVID and one of Leslie’s first responsibilities will be helping assess the need in our community and exploring how we can respond,” Irwin explained in the release.
Hammond will work closely with Artistic Director Geraldo Rodriguez to lead grant development, program strategy and cross-sector collaborations that support LILAC’s slate of initiatives, which include targeted career-building and skill development programs through Elevating Futures—a pillar focused on helping individuals, including women and LGBTQ+ youth, access creative opportunities and define their future on their own terms; community-based programming and expanded access to the arts through Opportunity for All, with a focus on reaching individuals who may face barriers due to income, geography or circumstance; and a long COVID arts initiative being explored in partnership with Arts in Health Ocala Metro.
“My involvement in the community that has been so good to me since I moved here in 2002 aligns with this new opportunity. My mom always led by example. She volunteered or did things for the library, the high school band, all kinds of things. She instilled in me the concept of giving back and helping others,” Hammond said.
“I am anxious to I work with Lisa. She is a powerhouse and I’m excited to learn from her and see what we can do positively in our community,” she added.
To learn more, go to lilacfoundation.org
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