This summer Now + There welcomes three new board members, each with their expertise in the arts, finance, and entrepreneurship.

Sometimes a fresh perspective is just what an organization needs. We were delighted to meet Lee Ann Gilligan, former Chief Financial Officer at Tripleseat Software LLC and consultant with 30 years of finance experience, as she moved to Boston after raising a family in the suburbs. Lee Ann's exceptional blend of right-brain thinking and financial organization will play a crucial role in Now + There's continued growth in Boston. Her passion for collaborating with entrepreneurial businesses and enhancing their finance function makes her an invaluable addition to our team. She is currently on the Artists For Humanity (AFH) Advisory Board, AFH Finance Committee, and AFH EpiCenter Board. She is beginning a second career as an oil painter and hopes to grow that into a viable, expanding business. With a breadth of experience in financial consultancy and with her interest in art and public service, Lee Ann’s balanced right and left brain approach will bring a fresh perspective to Now + There. We are delighted to welcome her to the Board of Directors!

N+T: Why are you passionate about public art and what do you see as its impact on communities?

Lee Ann: Art is about creativity, learning and expression. Public art brings those things to an accessible forum where the public can view, enjoy, think about and possibly participate in the art.

Public art is very exciting to me when it represents the community in which it lies. It tells a story about the community, representing people who live or have lived there, and invites others in to consider the environment and society that they are in.

I am passionate about the way public art brings people together in a place of creativity, community and inclusion. Additionally, it is important to me to support ways in which artists can display their work - public art provides that forum on a large scale, allowing the artist to be seen and heard.

N+T: What is your favorite public art installation so far this summer?

Lee Ann: This is a tough question because there is a lot of beautiful and interesting public art out there. I really connected with Ghada Amar’s “Woman’s Qualities” at Lot Lab. I love the large outreach to identify the words that best describe women and then the translation into a peaceful, beautiful arrangement of large plantings whose plants symbolize those qualities. Including this installation in an abandoned lot in Charlestown beautifies an area that has been neglected and supports the history of strong women who comprise Charlestown’s history.

On a lighter note, I also love the sand sculptures that are created each summer on the cape by sculptor Sean Fitzpatrick. There are dozens of sculptures populating many public spaces – it exemplifies the fun and whimsical part of public art.

N+T: What kinds of public art would you like to see in Boston?

Lee Ann: Being new to Boston, I look forward to learning about, exploring and engaging in conversation about the different neighborhoods of Boston. That being said, I love the large, colorful murals that are being painted on the sides of buildings and roadways (overpasses, bridges, etc.). I think that these murals tell an amazing story of the neighborhoods and communities that they represent. One can’t help but notice their massive scale and brilliant colorful palettes. These murals bring life and a story to what would otherwise be just another cement wall or brick building that you pass and don’t notice. Standing in front of one of these murals can be transformative and the experience is free to the public and brings people into the community.

Banner image: Lot Lab Opening Celebration, Now + There, 2023. Photography by Annielly Camargo.