About
Us
Kooiman Pavão Cultural is a full-service arts advisory connecting artists, community, and place.
We envision a Midwest where artists are deeply embedded in the life of our communities—where art transforms the spaces where we live, work, and gather.
With a combined 25+ years of experience spanning the West to the East Coast, Co-Founders Jessica Kooiman Parker and Maggie Pavão bring a national perspective while maintaining a local, personal approach.
Kooiman Pavão Cultural is based in Traverse City, Michigan and works on projects across the country.
Jessica and Maggie
are Kooiman Pavão
cO-FOUNDER & CHIEF CURATOrJessica Kooiman Parker is a visual art curator and designer with 15 years of experience leading and building impactful cultural programs from the ground up. Her practice balances curatorial vision with strategic thinking, drawing on experience as a small business owner, freelance designer, and creative leader to move projects from concept through execution. Over her career, she has collaborated with hundreds of artists to create exhibitions and public-facing projects that expand artist visibility, spark curiosity, and build community.
Jessica was raised in southwestern Minnesota and holds a BFA from the University of Wisconsin–Stout. Jessica led award-winning galleries in Colorado and, upon relocating to Traverse City, MI, developed the visual art program at Commongrounds, one of the nation's first co-op real estate developments. She continues to advocate for and collaborate with artists in the region by curating exhibitions within Commongrounds for The Alluvion.
Jessica Kooiman Parker
Maggie Pavão
cO-FOUNDER & managing directorMaggie Pavão is an arts professional and writer with experience in art-world operations, communications, and grant-writing. Raised on Long Island’s north shore, she relocated to Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula to establish and manage the Tusen Takk Foundation artist residency. From 2020 to 2025, Maggie coordinated the international artist-in-residence program, driving regional engagement through programs and exhibitions.
Maggie has been engaged in NYC’s cultural sector for over a decade, currently managing external affairs for Smack Mellon, an alternative arts space housing galleries, residencies, and education programs on the Brooklyn waterfront. She served previously at the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, where she supported the opening of the Arts Center at Governors Island, and at New York University's galleries. Maggie earned a BA in Art History and an MA in Museum Studies from New York University.
Headshots by Rachel Winslow