Linehan Steps Down From Concord's Kimball-Jenkins Estate

CONCORD, NH — The Kimball-Jenkins Estate will have a new managing director next week after 15 years. Ryan Linehan stepped down from the position this month. His last day was Friday.

During the past 15 years, Linehan has been active in the city's art community, moving the Kimball Jenkins Estate from a historic compound in disrepair and financial insolvency into a vibrant place for arts education, gallery space, community programming, and an event facility.

During the past 15 years, Linehan navigated what could easily be called difficult and challenging times at the estate beyond just finances of trying to preserve one of the city's most historic properties while also making it more than it ever was. The compound, located in the city's historic district, in the North End, had been in the Jenkins family since before the American Revolution. The last of the family heirs, Carolyn, died in the early 1980s, and left the properties to be used for "cultural and educational purposes" including the "encouragement of art."

The trust became a nonprofit that launched a school of art sponsors programs, a summer arts camp, and fundraisers – including the popular celebrity painter series that used to raise money annually via an art auction for IntownConcord.org. Thousands of children have enjoyed programs at the school during the past few years.

The other buildings on the compound are used for various functions, including weddings and the occasional political fundraiser, as well as art exhibition space. In 2013, the estate was named to the "Seven to Save" list by the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance.

Linehan has also been at the forefront of educating the public about the opioid epidemic, including bringing Domenic Espoito's The Opioid Spoon Project to the city, one of his proudest moments, he said, as well as the Haley Rae Martin Mural Project. Martin, an honor roll student from Northwood, died due to an accidental heroin overdose in 2012 – a rare occurrence at the time but something that has become all too common in the city of Concord today. He also worked to promote the popular Wednesday Wisdom speaking series with the now defunct Mill Brook Gallery to bring different topics and speakers to the carriage house to offer their expertise on various subject matters.

The estate is also one of the only nonprofits in the city that has actually assisted in artists full-time careers, Linehan noted.

Linehan said he had not decided what he would be doing in the future but was looking forward to new challenges.

Joan Goshgarian, the former executive director of the New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts, will be working as an interim managing director of Kimball-Jenkins, Linehan said.

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