Jeffrey Bell (’08 MFA Studio Arts) is the recipient of a2026 College of Visual and Performing Arts Distinguished Alumni Award. Jeff is Executive Director of the North Carolina Arts Council. Previously, he was the Arts Innovation Coordinator for the City of Wilson, which included being the Executive Director of the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park. He holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in Art History and one in Studio Art, from UNC Wilmington and received his MFA in Studio Arts from UNC Greensboro.
Bell’s career also includes positions at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University (Registrar), the Contemporary Art Museum Raleigh (Exhibitions and Gallery Manager), and the 21c Museum Hotel in Durham (Museum Manager). He has curated exhibitions at CAM Raleigh, 21c Museum Hotel, and at the Ackland Art Museum at UNC Chapel Hill. His artwork has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the state and the region. Bell lives in Wilson with his wife, Amanda Duncan, and their four children.
Prior to the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony, Bell shared thoughts about his experience at the School of Art.
What brought you to UNCG?
“I wanted to be at a place with strong faculty and facilities that allowed me to explore just about anything I could imagine, and the strong connection to the Weatherspoon and the Art History faculty is really important.”
What was the best part of your UNCG experience?
“I really loved getting to know my fellow students, their work, and their processes. Their level of dedication really pushed me forward.”
How did UNCG prepare you for what you’re doing today?
“It really helped me to find and develop my approach to artmaking. I was able to reaffirm what brought me to this work and clarify the questions I continue to ask.”
What is the best lesson you learned, the most important takeaway from UNCG?
“To trust my decisions. After my time at UNCG I knew, clearly, what was important to my practice and what wasn’t. Having trusted professors that I could rely on was key to being able to get to that point. I still think about individual conversations I had with professors, and they continue to inform my work.”
Any favorite professors or memories you’d like to share?
“Beyond the important feedback I received from professors, I really appreciated them as working artists who were devoted to their own practices. They were inspiring to me as fellow artists. I really loved coming in through the back entrance to the Gatewood Studio Arts Building and seeing the late Professor Andy Dunhill working on his own sculptures in his free time or talking to Professor Mariam Stephan about how her drawings were evolving.”
