New director says Beaverbrook gallery is place he fell in love with art

While the Beaverbrook Art Gallery will soon be Bernard Doucet'sworkplace, the new executive director says it's also the spot he first fell in love with art as a nine-year-old.

Doucet, whogrew up in Saint John andCap-Lumire, will arrive in Frederictonwith 12 years of experience at the helm of theSobey Art Foundation, and earlier work at theArt Gallery of Nova Scotia.

In December, he will take the reinsfromTom Smart, who retired in April.

"This is such a good feeling, to return home not just to New Brunswick but alsoto the place that, you know, sort of launched my lifelong passion for art," Doucetsaid in an interview.

The incoming directorsaid he wantsto strengthen thegallery's connection to the capital region and the many communities within it.

Being the first Acadian to hold the position, Doucethopes to makeAcadian art and culture a priority and, in turn, welcome more Acadian audiences.

"There are remarkable artists from across Acadian communities," he said.

"The sense going forward should be, on a cultural and community exchange level, that the doors are wide open at the Beaverbrookfor Acadian artists and Acadian audiences, and I intend to work very hard on making that happen."

He also sees an opportunity to better servemilitary members and their families living in Oromocto, and hopes to build programming specifically for them.

"I believe in the responsibility of institutions like the Beaverbrook to proactively engage with communities," Doucet said.

"To not, you know, sort of wait for audiences to appear, but to demonstrate their relevance to various constituencies and strengthen the emotional attachment that citizens have with an institution like it."