Ava Chessum is Open House New York’s Production Assistant. She is a native New Yorker with a background in museum education and art collection coordination. 

Ava studied Art History at Oberlin College, where she became fascinated with the role museums can play in connecting art collections with diverse members of the public. Her undergraduate research considered the forms of access and engagement present in early museum collections – the same kinds of ‘open doors’ that OHNY facilitates today! She’s worked both with the Brooklyn Museum’s Education Department and NYC Health + Hospital’s Arts in Medicine collection, expanding what it means to engage with the arts in and around the city.

Before joining OHNY, Ava lived in Germany for a year through the CBYX Fellowship, where she completed an intensive German language program and worked with a range of non-profit and educational initiatives. She enjoys oil painting, card games, and riding the NYC Ferry to Rockaway Beach.