Heather Jones is the Interim Director and Chief Curator of The Contemporary Dayton, where she leads the organization’s artistic vision, exhibitions, public programs, and strategic initiatives. An artist, curator, educator, and writer born in Dayton, Ohio, Jones brings more than two decades of experience across the fields of contemporary art, museums, and arts education. Her leadership is rooted in a deep commitment to supporting artists, expanding access to contemporary art, and fostering meaningful connections between artists and communities.

Jones received her BA and MA (ABT) in Art History at the University of Cincinnati. She is the author of Quilt Local: Finding Inspiration in the Everyday (Abrams/STC Craft, 2015).

As a practicing interdisciplinary artist, Jones’ work investigates themes of motherhood, labor, memory, migration, and matrilineal traditions through painting, textiles, and sculpture. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Columbus Museum of Art, the Speed Art Museum, the Dakar Biennale in Senegal, and the Contemporary Dayton. Her artwork is held in numerous public and private collections, including the Dayton Art Institute, the Columbus Museum of Art, the Speed Art Museum, KMAC Contemporary Art Museum, Stiftung Konzeptuelle Kunst (Germany), the Pizzuti Collection, Fidelity Investments, Churchill Asset Management, and the Chicago Blackhawks, among others.

Jones has participated in several prestigious residency programs, including Kehinde Wiley’s inaugural artist residency at Black Rock Senegal in Dakar, a ten-month residency at Silver Art Projects in New York City, and an intensive residency at Anderson Ranch Arts Center with artist Mickalene Thomas and curator Jasmine Wahi.

Since joining The Contemporary Dayton in 2025, Jones has curated ambitious exhibitions featuring nationally and internationally recognized artists while expanding opportunities for regional artists through new and revitalized initiatives. As Interim Director and Chief Curator, she is guiding the organization through its 35th anniversary season while advancing its mission to provide art for the community and a community for artists. Her collaborative leadership emphasizes artistic excellence, community engagement, equity, and the belief that contemporary art has the power to inspire dialogue, build connections, and enrich civic life.

Jones is also the co-founder of Divisible, an independent contemporary art project space established in 2014 with her husband, artist Jeffrey Cortland Jones, professor of painting at the University of Dayton. She continues to maintain an active studio practice alongside her museum leadership.

Photo Credit: Briana Snyder