10 Questions With Nicole Cromartie From the High Museum of Art

The High Museum of Art is the leading art museum in the Southeastern U.S. With more than 16,000 works of art in its permanent collection, the High has an extensive mix of art from diverse cultures and time periods. Nicole Cromartie, manager of Family Programs at the High, wants families to know that the museum is here for them, offering several special family programs to help engage children and bring the community together. Patch caught up with Cromartie to learn how her passion and lifelong love for museums is helping create lasting memories for visitors of all ages.

Patch: How long have you been doing business in town?

Cromartie: I’ve been managing Family Programs at the High Museum for just over two years! I’ve been working in the education department here for about six years total.

Patch: What attracted you to the business you’re in, and how did you get started?

Cromartie: Some of my favorite childhood memories involve visiting the Cummer Museum of Art in Jacksonville, Florida, with my grandmother. I loved spending the afternoon looking at art with her. We would spend hours walking around the galleries, picking out our favorite paintings, inventing stories about the sculptures, and imagining how the artists created each work of art. Like the High, the Cummer also has a great family space with fun interactive activities related to their collection. I was drawn to working in Family Programs at the High knowing that I am able to play a role in children’s first experiences with art and their budding lifelong love of museums.

Patch: If you had to sum up your business mission to a stranger in five words, what would those words be?

Cromartie: Creative, Inclusive, Empowering, Engaging and Messy!

Patch: What’s the biggest challenge or most difficult moment you’ve faced in your job?

Cromartie: The biggest challenge, and one of my favorite parts of my job, is making sure that families know that the museum is for them! I sometimes get calls from caregivers who are concerned about bringing their child, especially their very young children, to the museum. I invite them to Second Sundays, which is a great introduction to the Museum. Each month on the Second Sunday, we offer free admission and a lot of special programs designed for families. Families can explore the galleries, try out an infant or toddler tour, or make art with our teaching artists.

Patch: What’s the most satisfying part of your job?

Cromartie: Without a doubt, seeing families engaging together in our galleries and in our workshops is the most satisfying part of my job. I shadowed one of our toddler tours recently through our African Art galleries. They were looking at an intricate wooden mask. When the toddlers were asked what animals they could see in the mask, one of the toddlers immediately called out, “They are all birds!” and her caregiver beamed and said, “I couldn’t even tell that those were birds!” She was surprised at something her child was able to see and show the group in a work of art. We have incredible moments like this all the time.

Patch: You’re not the only person in this business. How do you distinguish yourself from the others?

Cromartie: We serve a lot of people at the High Museum of Art, and it’s important that we be accessible to all of them. We work with community partners to better understand access for families. In the past two years, we’ve built a nursing room in our education center, started incorporating Spanish into our family guides and signage, and introduced a sensory room during Second Sunday programming.

Patch: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given when it comes to success?

Cromartie: To listen to your audience! We’ve evaluated our programs and regularly ask for feedback from our visitors to make sure that we’re doing our best to serve families, and we’ve learned so much from them. For example, we recently revamped our Toddler Thursday program, expanding program times and adding developmentally appropriate gallery tours, based on feedback from caregivers. They asked for these additions, and we were happy to oblige. Our families have ensured the success of our programs!

Patch: What would you say are a few secrets to your success?

Cromartie: The High has incredible works of art and exhibitions that inspire us every day. We also have an incredible team across the museum. We collaborate museum-wide, and we can’t run a program alone. From security to guest relations to our web team, everyone is committed to ensuring a smooth experience for our visitors.

Patch: What is your favorite thing about the Patch?

Cromartie: Patch is my go-to source for informative and interesting news about the neighborhoods in which I live and work. I also love perusing the Patch Events section. It's great seeing the awesome family events that we have going on at the High listed as well as other cool happenings around the city!

Patch: Do you have any events coming up in your community?

Cromartie: In addition to Second Sundays in October and November, we have Toddler Takeover in October and Day After Thanksgiving programming in November. A full listing of our family events can be found here.

Patch: How can Patch readers learn more about your work and business?

Cromartie: To learn more about the High’s exhibitions, permanent collection, and public programs visit us online. Connect with the High on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Image Credit: The High Museum of Art

This Patch article is sponsored by the High Museum of Art.