The Pennyroyal Arts Council has a new education coordinator to lead the organization’s educational initiatives, school matinee programming and community outreach.
Bri Smith, a Hopkinsville native and graduate of the University of Kentucky, joins the arts council’s administrative team to fill the role previously held by Kelly Selfe, who recently became director of the Janice Mason Art Museum in Cadiz.
Smith is a former music teacher for Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School and has been a Realtor with Town & Country Realty for the past eight years. In addition, she was co-chair of the 2025 United Way campaign.
“Her dedicated involvement across numerous local boards and committees — including serving since 2023 as a member of the Board of Directors for the Pennyroyal Arts Council — underscores her lifelong commitment to the Hopkinsville community,” an arts council spokesman said in a press release.
Smith and her husband, Alex Smith, have a 2-year-old daughter, Anna. The reside in Hopkinsville.
“I am very passionate about the arts and have long been dedicated to serving the Hopkinsville community,” Smith said in the release. “As the new education coordinator for the Pennyroyal Arts Council, I’m excited to combine those passions by creating meaningful opportunities for people of all ages to experience, learn about, and engage with the arts. I believe the arts enrich our lives, strengthen our community, and inspire creativity. I look forward to expanding our educational programming to make the arts even more accessible to everyone throughout the region.”
Margaret Prim, executive director of the arts council, said Smith “has been a dedicated volunteer with PACI for over 14 years and recently served as the president of our board of directors. As a talented music teacher and artist, she will excel in her role as our education coordinator and will be the perfect person to help us grow.”
