We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jerry Jackson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with jerry below.

Jerry, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Throughout my career in nonprofit management, community engagement has been at the heart of nearly all of my most meaningful projects. This commitment, often intertwined with the healing that can emerge from collective action, has been a driving force. One of the most significant projects began in 1999 when Hurricane Floyd devastated the Rocky Mount Arts Center, where I worked. The Arts Center, located along the banks of the Tar River in Rocky Mount, NC, was completely destroyed, along with large portions of the town, due to catastrophic flooding.
At that stage in my career, fresh out of graduate school and new to the field, the concept of “community engagement” wasn’t yet part of my everyday vocabulary. I joined the Arts Center during my final semester, initially focusing on programming, curating, archives, and events. Rocky Mount was a town shaped by the tobacco industry, and it was clear that the town’s wealth was unevenly distributed—there were stark divides between affluent areas and those striving for a better future. Having grown up in a small community where collaboration and mutual support were fundamental values, I understood that the Arts Center had the potential to bridge these divides and bring people together.
In the wake of Hurricane Floyd’s devastation, the citizens of Rocky Mount were faced with overwhelming grief and hardship. However, this tragedy ultimately became a catalyst for the town’s recovery and collective healing. Over the course of several years, with solid support from the local government and the community, the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences emerged, opening its doors five years after the flood.
This project marked my first real understanding of the profound power of community engagement. The rebuilding and creation of a community-centered arts facility not only restored the town’s cultural life but also deepened my awareness of how the arts can be a powerful vehicle for unity and renewal. As I moved forward in my career, working in craft and folk schools, I continued developing my understanding of community engagement and its transformative power.
Today, the Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences stands as one of the premier cultural institutions on the East Coast. Located in downtown Rocky Mount, it occupies the historic sites of the Imperial Tobacco Company and the old Braswell Memorial Library. This 135,000-square-foot facility houses an Arts Center, a Children’s Museum & Science Center, and a community performing arts theater. The project involved a meticulous restoration of these dormant buildings, which took two years to complete. Now, it serves as a state-of-the-art cultural hub. Owned and operated by the City of Rocky Mount, it preserves the historic character of the original structures while fostering new opportunities for community connection and growth.

Jerry, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

During my career, I’ve had the privilege of holding leadership positions at various distinguished arts institutions. I served as Director of the Arts Center at the Imperial Centre for Arts and Sciences in Rocky Mount, NC, Deputy Director at Penland School of Craft, and Executive Director at John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. In 2022, I transitioned from arts administration to pursue a new venture, opening a fine art and craft gallery, Gallery 164. The gallery felt like a natural progression, as I had worked closely with galleries in my previous roles and had developed a deep appreciation for connecting artists with their audiences.
Over the years, I’ve had opportunities to curate and install exhibitions and jury art shows, serve on various boards, and exhibit my own creative work. One aspect I missed when stepping away from nonprofit management was the focus on community engagement, particularly as it relates to folk school values. When I developed Gallery 164, I approached it with the same strategic mindset I had applied to nonprofit management, especially drawing from the community-driven philosophies of folk schools.
At Gallery 164, one of our primary goals is “Connecting Artists and Communities.” We work alongside our artists to create a bridge of understanding between their work and the community. Through this collaboration, we hope to foster a cultural identity that reflects the uniqueness of our region and draws people to engage with it. We believe that art represents emotions, chronicles history, and embodies societal values. Through partnerships with local citizens, visitors, businesses, and organizations, we aim to help grow the local economy, encourage tourism, and strengthen public health and social cohesion.
My involvement with the Folk Education Association of America (FEAA) has been instrumental in shaping my understanding of these connections. As Board President, I work with others to promote folk schools, which emphasize personal development, cultural diversity, and community growth. Inspired by Scandinavian traditions, the folk school model focuses on intergenerational learning, traditional crafts, and community building. In many ways, the values of folk schools—learning through collaboration, preserving handcrafting skills, and building community—inform the ethos of Gallery 164.
Marine Mills Folk School in Minnesota, for example, exemplifies these ideals. Its vision is to make the world better by building community, fostering curiosity, and celebrating beauty in creation. Like many other folk schools, it offers programs rooted in local culture and traditions, which align closely with the mission I have for Gallery 164.
As a new gallery owner in Waynesville, NC, just west of Asheville, I’m committed to integrating folk school values by forming partnerships with artists and businesses that believe in the power of a creative community. Western North Carolina is a region with a rich tradition in arts and crafts. Renowned institutions like Penland School of Craft, John C. Campbell Folk School, and the Southern Highland Craft Guild offer incredible opportunities for artists and enthusiasts. The Appalachian Craft Trail, for instance, provides a roadmap to hundreds of traditional and contemporary makers in the area, giving individuals a firsthand look at the craft culture here.
At Gallery 164, we showcase work by artists connected to these institutions, helping support their sustainable studio practices. For example, Amanda Yoder, a woodworker featured at the gallery, is a Haywood Community College Professional Craft Program graduate. This program blends craftsmanship, design, and entrepreneurship and is an excellent example of community engagement. Established in 1977 to preserve the region’s craft heritage, the program has been instrumental in helping emerging artists build viable careers.
As a gallery owner and active member of the community, I am excited to utilize local resources to educate our audience about this region’s rich cultural heritage, the techniques our artists use, and the journeys they undertake to build their careers. Through Gallery 164, we aim to provide a platform where art, culture, and community intersect and thrive.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

For much of my career, I’ve been fortunate to have had incredible opportunities. In the beginning, my goals centered around making art and pursuing the dream of being a full-time artist. Like many artists, though, financial realities often shape those goals and outcomes. I’ve been lucky to always work in creative environments, which, in turn, have helped support my studio practice. Now, at sixty-four, I still feel the same drive that has fueled me throughout my life. I don’t see that need ever fading. While my approach to fulfilling it may evolve, I believe it remains vital to my sense of purpose and life itself.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In addition to transitioning from arts management to gallery ownership, I experienced another major shift at the same time—downsizing my art collection. This happened when I moved to a new town to open the gallery. While not overly dramatic, I downsized our home from 4,200 square feet to 1,200 square feet, and the new house is 109 years old. It’s incredibly cozy and comfortable, but it raises the question: where is my collection? My art collection is deeply personal, consisting largely of works by friends and artists I’ve worked with over the years. It includes a variety of crafts, paintings, sculptures, and photography, and living with it has always felt like living among friends.
As I’ve navigated this change, I find myself relating to mature visitors at Gallery 164 who often share stories of downsizing or mention their homes being full. As a gallery owner, the reality of my own downsizing has pushed me to rethink how I market art to younger audiences. As a collector, I’ve also been considering how to place pieces in new ways. While I sometimes feel conflicted about parting with certain works, I’m grateful for the opportunity to help new collectors, no matter the size of their collections. This experience has made me more mindful about discussing long-term strategies with new collectors, especially in terms of building meaningful, manageable collections over time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gallery164.com
• Instagram: gallery_164
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gallery164

Image Credits

Image 1- Courtesy of Marine Mills Folk School
Image 2- Courtesy of Marine Mills Folk School
Image 3- Courtesy of Marine Mills Folk School
Image 4- Amanda Yoder
Image 5- Sabrina Greene-Rusk
Image 6- Sabrina Green-Rusk