A Shared Vision
Matt Wyatt and Amy Regan first met in 2007 while studying under New Hampshire Artist Laureate Gary Samson at the New Hampshire Institute of Art. In 2011, they teamed up with friends Devin Swett and Ian Hartsoe to co-found the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts in the halls of a multi-use office building, with a mission to create art opportunities for artists and viewers. The team struggled to gain footing, relocating several times and confusing even the most loyal supporters. Eventually, through a collaboration with the City of Rochester, they established a permanent home in what is now the James W. Foley Memorial Community Center, formerly Rochester Community Center and Spaulding High School.
Building Community
Over the years, Wyatt and Regan have acquired more than 250 donated works of art, coordinated over a dozen public installations throughout the city, curated hundreds of exhibitions, and collaborated with more than 700 artists worldwide. Their efforts were recognized in 2014 by former Governor and U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan, thanking them for their efforts to make fine art easily accessible to the people of New Hampshire. Additionally, they organized Rochester Pride from 2016 to 2018, a downtown event that aimed to promote unity, visibility, inclusivity, and equality while uplifting local businesses and organizations supporting the LGBTQ+ community. The event drew thousands of attendees and featured many guest speakers, including U.S. Representatives Carol Shea-Porter and Chris Pappas.
Making an Impact
In addition to their work with the RMFA, Wyatt and Regan served for many years on the City of Rochester’s Commission for Arts and Culture, with Wyatt acting as Chair from 2013 to 2022. In September 2022, they were honored at the annual Rochester Arts Awards, where Wyatt also received a Golden Gavel for his dedicated service as chairperson. Their efforts have been recognized widely through news articles, magazine and newspaper features, radio and podcast interviews, mayoral and gubernatorial proclamations and commendations, as well as appearances on NESN’s New Hampshire Life, WCVB’s Chronicle, and WMUR’s New Hampshire Chronicle.
Uplifting Creativity
The RMFA has earned significant recognition, receiving American Art Awards in 2020 and 2022 for Best Art Museum or Gallery in New Hampshire and ranking among the Top 20 Best Art Museums in the United States. Also in 2020, the New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts presented the museum with the Community Arts Build Award, followed in 2022 by the New Hampshire Business Review’s Best of Business (BOB) Award for “Most Ingenious Promoters of Arts and Culture.” To mark the museum’s 10th anniversary, Governor Chris Sununu issued an official commendation honoring its work to make art accessible in Rochester and across the state. Today, Matt and Amy remain devoted to the RMFA’s original mission: to uplift and give voice to artists everywhere, celebrate extraordinary talent and diversity, and create viewing opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Amy Regan
Amy Marie Regan earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, with a concentration in photography, from the New Hampshire Institute of Art in 2008. In addition to co-founding the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts in 2011, she opened See Saw Art in 2022, a small exhibition space located within Mosaic Art in Manchester, NH. To learn more, visit seesaw.gallery.
“Creating exhibition opportunities is foundational to my work with the RMFA. The New England community is filled with talented, generous artists who work on their craft each day. Being able to showcase and uplift this work is my greatest pleasure, as well as meeting and learning from so many genuine people along the way.”
Amy Regan
Amy works full-time in marketing while running See Saw Art. She married fellow RMFA co-founder, Devin Swett, in 2014. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys traveling, visiting galleries, attending concerts, cooking, and hosting dinner parties with friends and family.
Matt Wyatt
Matt Wyatt studied at the New Hampshire Institute of Art and later earned a certificate in Digital Photography from eCornell, Cornell University. His work has been exhibited in venues such as the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, Art Current in Provincetown, MA, The Gatehouse Gallery in Tamworth, NH, and Back Hill Beer Company in Gonic, NH.
“We want everyone to be able to enjoy art for free. Our alternative version of an art museum is a sustainable model that is easily replicable with the right people and energy. We encourage other communities to look at what we’ve done and copy us. Improve it, make it better, bigger. Art belongs everywhere.”
Matt Wyatt
Since 2020, Matt has served as the Public Information and Community Engagement Manager for the City of Rochester, NH. He became a father to his daughter, Ava, in 2011 and married Christopher in 2024. Outside of work and art, Matt enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors—especially at the beach—and collecting retro video game consoles, including Atari, Nintendo, and Sega.