OMAA Names Pat Layman Director of Advancement
The Ogunquit Museum of American Art (OMAA) has named Pay Layman as Director of Advancement, in a role she will begin on May 1, 2026. The news follows the appointment of David Cunningham as Executive Director of OMAA, following three years as Director of Advancement.
Since July of 2023, Layman has served as Director of Development at the Cape Ann Museum (CAM) where she oversaw all aspects of the Museum’s fundraising program. Prior to her work at CAM, Pat was a Major Gifts Officer at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA. Preceding her time at Andover, Pat spent 14 years at Hebron Academy where she served as Director of Advancement and External Relations. She has also worked in development roles at Maine College of Art, and Tufts University where she focused on raising funds for the arts departments within the School of Arts and Sciences. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College where she studied Art History and English Literature. She later pursued graduate studies in the History of European Decorative Arts at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City.
Says Cunningham, “We are thrilled to welcome Pat to our talented team, and are very excited about all that she brings to OMAA. Her background and experience align directly with our values and plans for growth. This is an essential role that ensures the valuable support and funding the Museum needs to present in-depth exhibitions of modern and contemporary American art while serving our community, school groups, Veterans, and a growing regional and national audience.”
Layman, adds, “I look forward with great excitement to playing an integral role within OMAA’s vibrant community, helping to preserve the museum’s rich artistic heritage, and supporting its exciting next chapter.”
In 2026, the Ogunquit Museum presents one of its most pioneering years of programming to date, with an exhibition featuring the work of world-renowned artist Hank Willis Thomas alongside, for the first time, a selection of artists he has collaborated with, in response to America’s 250th anniversary. Looking for America highlights the power of creative communities, while asking the timely question: What does it mean to look for America, and whose America are we seeking?
Three additional special exhibitions, along with guest lectures by such renowned artists as Cara Romero, and a robust slate of programs, special events, and community collaborations, will make for a truly remarkable year ahead.
ABOUT THE OGUNQUIT MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART (OMAA)
The Ogunquit Museum of American Art (OMAA) presents thought-provoking exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, and engaging education and community programs. The Museum’s seaside landscape and three-acre sculpture park offer a sense of place and a destination for experiencing art and nature, with stunning panoramic views of Maine’s iconic coves and outcroppings.
Founded by a community of artists and supporters, led by Henry Strater (1896-1987), and opened in 1953, OMAA celebrates its ties to one of America’s earliest art communities which directly contributed to the roots of modernism in the United States. OMAA’s collection includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, and photographs from the late 1800s to the present.
Led by Executive Director David Cunningham and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Devon Zimmerman, OMAA is open for the 2026 season from April 10 through November 15. For more information, visit ogunquitmuseum.org.
Media Contact:
Meg Blackburn, meg@blackburncreative.com
