Five Questions With: Cindy Elder

"Our programming will blend a few major events with a series of more intimate experiences tailored to the interests and ages of our visitors."

Cindy Elder joined Coggeshall Farm Museum in Bristol as executive director in December 2014. Her 20 years’ nonprofit experience includes work in communications, marketing and organization building, including her most recent position as director of communications at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. She earned a Master’s degree in public affairs from Brown University’s Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions in 2013.

PBN: You’ve just joined the museum as executive director. What is your vision for growing membership and the museum’s profile?
ELDER:
Our first task is to reconnect with the people who have been involved with Coggeshall Farm Museum in the past. Over the last four decades, thousands of Rhode Islanders have been active as staff members, volunteers, donors, members or visitors to the farm. We need to reach out to them and let them know the farm is in an exciting period of rejuvenation. Our expanded programming will provide opportunities for people of all ages to return on a more regular basis to experience this sparkling gem on our state’s historic landscape.
In addition, many people have not yet heard of Coggeshall Farm Museum. They aren’t aware that 48 acres of pristine coastal farmland is being operated just as it was in the 1790s, preserving the history of Rhode Island’s tenant farmers. They haven’t visited our 1799 farmhouse, chatted with our costumed interpreters or learned the art of hearth cooking or candle-making.
Our story at Coggeshall is that of Rhode Island’s working families – the original middle class – and it resonates today as we think about the meaning of hard work and resilience. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the media to bring our story to life and share it with Rhode Islanders and visitors who wish to see the best of what Rhode Island has to offer.

PBN: Incorporated as a private nonprofit in 1973, Coggeshall Farm Museum is a living history museum. What does that mean for visitors?
ELDER
: Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for a hands-on experience! We don’t have any “do not touch” signs. Whether you’re interested in photographing this stunning location, interacting with our farm animals, learning about our historic property, or acquiring skills practiced by farmers in the late-18th century, Coggeshall Farm Museum allows you to step back in time and literally become a part of history. In addition, our special events bring in talented crafters, gardeners, farmers, artists and scholars from across New England who enhance what we can offer.

PBN: Are you planning any special programming for 2015?
ELDER:
Our programming will blend a few major events with a series of more intimate experiences tailored to the interests and ages of our visitors. We will also increase our focus on educational programming for schools and youth groups with content reflecting Rhode Island’s educational standards.
Maple sugaring at Coggeshall is coming up on Feb. 22 from 1 to 3 p.m. Visitors will learn how sap was harvested and converted into syrup in the 1790s, side by side with more current methods used today.
Our major events for 2015 include the Wool and Fiber Fest on May 16, our Harvest Fest in September, and a new event in August featuring artists’ reflections on Coggeshall Farm Museum. We’re excited to partner with the arts community to present visual, written and musical interpretation of this unique slice of Rhode Island’s history and landscape.
We are currently inviting vendors who specialize in natural fibers and hand-crafted foods to contact us if they are interested in participating in the Wool and Fiber Fest.
Our ongoing programming will include Farmhouse Storytime for young children; Wake Up with the Barnyard, a chance for all ages to interact with our farm animals; the Starlight Speakers Series, featuring experts in topics such as heirloom gardening; and our Home and Hearth workshops.
I’ll also be offering the Tuesday Stroll for people who would like to share their ideas with me about Coggeshall Farm Museum. And of course, I welcome people to contact me anytime to schedule a personal visit.

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PBN: Do you partner now or do you have plans to partner with any other organizations?
ELDER:
I am actively seeking to partner with other historic and cultural organizations as well as the business and philanthropic community. In my first few weeks, I’ve been graciously welcomed by the Rhode Island Historical Society and my counterparts at many museums around the state. I strongly believe in working together. If Coggeshall remains in a silo, we limit our audience and our appeal. Working with our fellow museums, we can attract larger, more engaged audiences who will be interested in visiting more than one museum.
Likewise, I want our events to attract visitors to the town of Bristol, which boasts not only a rich array of museums but some of the finest restaurants and boutique retailers in the state. We’re also interested in engaging the scholarly community as we work on cataloging and preserving our collections.

PBN: How is the website update going and what will it offer once complete?
ELDER:
We are pedaling hard to get our new website up and running by the end of February. As with most small nonprofits, we have to do this while moving forward on many other fronts as well. I encourage professional photographers who would like to contribute photos for our website to contact me personally.
The new site will feature expanded information for teachers, students, and scholars, as well as more detailed information on events and programming. Our new blog will present the perspectives of many guest writers, and we’ll provide information on our history and collections as well as links to other places of interest to our visitors.

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