Hope McMath

Hope McMath, founder of Yellow House, is a cultural leader, educator, artist, and activist whose knowledge of, and passion for, the arts is matched by a strong commitment to social justice and generating positive change in organizations and the community. She connects the arts to community needs including education, accessibility, the environment, wellness, and inclusion and diversity.

A Florida native, Hope earned a bachelor’s degree in visual art and art history, and a Master of Arts in teaching from Jacksonville University. She served at The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens for 22 years, the last eight as its executive director. During her time at The Cummer Museum, from her early years as a museum educator through her tenure as director, Hope implemented art programs, education outreach, and facility expansions that increased the Cummer’s relevance and reputation.

Her commitment to using the arts to lift up conversations around education, race, equity, and universal human rights has been recognized with the OneJax Humanitarian Award (2016), the EVE Award (2012), a Cultural Icon Award from the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville (2016), the Frances Kinne Alumni of Distinction Community Service Award (2017), and the Educational Service Award from the Atlantic Institute (2017).

Hope offers several consulting services for organizations, such as curating exhibitions, guest lecturing and teaching, organizing humanities-based programs, building arts education curriculum, and nonprofit management. She is an alumna of the Getty Leadership Institute and the Chief Executive Program of National Arts Strategies. She also gives her time to a variety of organizations and causes including the State of Florida Council on Arts and Culture, TEDx Jacksonville, We Are Straight Allies, the Mayo Clinic Humanities in Medicine Program, and several social justice organizations, including #WHITEANDWOKE, a group of white people standing up for black lives.

Whether through her work as a cultural leader, an artist, or a community activist, she consistently deploys the visual and performing arts to amplify the experiences of others and mobilize communities around human rights.