Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park names executive director: She believes ‘art in nature can transform lives’

“Sarah Templeton Wilson has already demonstrated these as well as her abilities as a collaborative leader, innovator and accomplished communicator,” Sanderson Lewis said. “She brings genuine passion for the arts and an unwavering belief that art in nature can transform lives and reinforce our shared humanity.”

The announcement concludes a four-month national search, chaired by board member Patty Beggs, with participation from the park’s board, staff and community leaders, and was conducted in partnership with the firm of Clark Schaefer Strategic HR. The search generated over 270 applicants and included several dozen written, phone, and personal interviews.

Templeton Wilson was the unanimous choice.

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue leading the park during such an important time for Pyramid Hill and the broader arts community. Art is an essential element to healthy, vibrant communities, and Pyramid Hill is contributing to the City of Hamilton’s renaissance and the City of Cincinnati’s ranking as best place to live in Ohio,” she said.

Templeton Wilson said she sees potential for Pyramid Hill to expand its role in the conversation of art, nature and education.

Templeton Wilson has 20 years of experience in museums, performing arts and university-level teaching. She was previously appointed to the interim executive director position after former Executive Director Bryan Knicely departed in June of 2023 to return to St. Louis as the executive director of the Craft Alliance.

Templeton Wilson was hired by Pyramid Hill in 2022 as the Park’s first development director, and since that time, she has led an effort to establish a portfolio of individual gifts, corporate sponsorships and foundation grants. The park celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022.

Templeton Wilson began her development career in 2007 at Ohio University, where she also taught undergraduate courses in interdisciplinary arts. After five years in Athens, she was hired by her alma mater, Miami University. During her eight-year tenure at Miami, she launched an alumni and donor engagement program for the regional campuses and built affinity programs for alumni of the Oxford campus.

Prior to joining Pyramid Hill, she was associate director of development at Cincinnati Ballet and part of the capital campaign for their new facility in Walnut Hills.

As executive director at Pyramid Hill, she will lead all aspects of the park’s operations, including curatorial oversight, administrative and financial management, fundraising, marketing, education, community engagement and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Templeton Wilson is a member of Leadership Hamilton Class of 2024, chair of the We Art Hamilton Arts Roundtable, a member of the Visit Hamilton Board and past president of the Miami University Alumni Band. She currently serves as a Girl Scouts of Western Ohio troop leader and has been actively involved in mentoring, including co-founding Miami R.E.D. Women.

Pyramid Hill has been working on a long-range plan that will culminate when the park celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2027. The park has earned a national reputation due to its acreage, permanent collection, commitment to inclusion and public engagement, environmental practices and fiscal health.

Additionally, in 2019 Pyramid Hill became stewards of Fortified Hill Earthworks, a 2,000-year-old Hopewell Culture hilltop adjacent to the park that is on the National Register of Historic Places. Pyramid Hill plans to open the new site for limited public tours later this year.

“We are going to be working toward opening Fortified Hill, we are going to be working on our strategic plan, which has a lot of fresh elements for both the trails and grounds at the park as well as the arts. We’re just at a great place right now,” Templeton Wilson said.

She said the park plans to reveal new workshops, guided tour opportunities as well as some yet-to-be-announced, new facility updates, which will be announced at Founder’s Day.

“We really see the park as a unique place that blends art and nature, so we’ve really been trying to lean into both sides of that, and education is one of our core principles ... We’ve had some great programs like ‘Dogs & Doughnuts,’ and our ‘Family Fun on the Hill’ series, and we’re looking to add more to that,” Templeton Wilson said.

In 2024, she said, Pyramid Hill’s Founder’s Day celebration will be a weekend-long, free event, on March 9-11. Community members should watch for more details to come about Founder’s Day.