(Media release from the Georgia Archives):
The Georgia Archives Lunch and Learn presentation, “The Center for Puppetry Arts,” by Kelsey Fritz, will be held onsite. The presentation is on Friday, May 12, 2023, from noon to 1:00 p.m. at the Georgia Archives.
The Lunch and Learn presentation is free, and no registration is required.
Kelsey Fritz will discuss Atlanta’s own Center for Puppetry Arts. Open since 1978, the Center is the largest non-profit in the United States dedicated to the art of puppetry. The Center has introduced millions of visitors to the wonder and art of puppetry and has touched the lives of many through enchanting performances, curriculum-based workshops, and the hands-on museum, as well as digital learning and outreach programs. Fritz will discuss the history of the museum’s collection, its archives, and the unique conservation concerns surrounding working with performance-related objects.
Kelsey Fritz, Museum and Guest Services Director, originally joined the Center during a crucial period in its history, first serving as the Collections Manager from 2012-2014 and then as the Museum Director from 2014-2017. Fritz played an instrumental role in acquiring and leading the conservation of over 400 objects from the Jim Henson Collection and oversaw the development of the Center’s two new permanent museum exhibitions—the Henson and Global galleries, as part of the Center’s 2015 expansion. In 2017, Fritz left the Center for Puppetry Arts to serve as the Exhibition Director for the Atlanta History Center. During her five years there, Fritz oversaw the development and installation of new permanent and rotating/travelling initiatives, including the reinterpretation of the Cyclorama and its related exhibits and the new exhibit showcasing Atlanta’s roll in the 1996 Olympic and Paralympic games. Then in July 2022, Fritz returned to the Center for Puppetry Arts, where she is now leveraging her experience in project management, content development, and museum and cultural organization operations, to ensure the Center continues to offer visitors unique and memorable artistic experiences. Fritz earned an MA in History and Public History from American University in Washington DC, and she remains connected to the local public history community by serving as an annual adjunct faculty member with Georgia State University, where she earned her BA in History.
The Georgia Archives is a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. The Georgia Archives identifies, collects, manages, preserves, provides access to, and publicizes records and information of Georgia and its people, and assists state and local government agencies with their records management.
