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The American Craft Council (ACC) has hired Scott Pollock as its new senior director of programs and public engagement. This is a new position for the organization, and Pollock assumed the role on Jan. 22.

“This new position will collaborate with an ever-widening circle of artists, makers, and creative communities invested in the future of craft and the power of making things by hand,” said ACC’s Executive Director Sarah Schultz.

Most recently, Pollock has been the director of exhibitions, collections and programs at the American Swedish Institute (ASI) in Minneapolis. During his six years there, he played an integral role in the ASI’s evolution from a traditional cultural heritage museum into a vibrant and relevant arts and cultural resource for diverse communities and contemporary issues.

Prior to his time at the American Swedish Institute, Pollock spent eight years as the program director for North House Folk School. He has also held positions at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the International Council of Museums, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. He brings with him a wealth of experience, enthusiasm, and vision for how to broaden ACC’s reach to new audiences and forms of making, while being firmly grounded in the craft field and traditions.

“I’m eager to experiment with new ways of presenting ACC’s work and rewrite the expectations for what and how we practice, promote, and present varied maker cultures across this country,” Pollock said. “I’m also looking forward to discovering the ways craft can be a catalyst for cultivating empathy and bringing people together for positive social change.”