The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (KIA) James Denison has WON Jeopardy!

Photo courtesy of KIA

The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (KIA) is proud to share that James Denison, PhD, Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow at the KIA, has won as a contestant on Jeopardy! on Friday, March 6, 7:30–8:00 p.m with a grand prize total of $36,199!

A native of the Washington, DC, area and a graduate of Bowdoin College,

James Denison completed his PhD in art history at the University of Michigan in 2023. While at Michigan he wrote a dissertation on the connections between the group of American modernists known as the Stieglitz Circle and racism in the interwar U.S., and in the time since has published scholarly writing in the journals Word & Image, Panorama, and CAA.reviews.

Since 2023 he has worked at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts as a postdoctoral curatorial fellow and at Kalamazoo College as a visiting assistant professor of art history. At the KIA, some of his main projects have included the KIA’s centennial exhibition Legendary Voices: Art for the Next Century, the museum’s collection catalogue 101 Legendary Selections from the KIA, and new installations in the permanent collection galleries. At K College he has taught a variety of courses on modern art and visual culture, including an American art survey course that meets weekly at the KIA to investigate art firsthand.

James has been a Jeopardy! fan since he was young and considered it a lifelong dream to appear on the show, and he can now add winning the iconic game show to his list of his accomplishments! The KIA community hosted a watch party in the museum’s auditorium during the annual Hands On event to cheer him on to victory. The auditorium erupted with applause when he correctly answered the Final Jeopardy, fulfilling a dream come true!

Extended Hours on FREE Thursdays

Enjoy free general admission and extended hours until 8pm on Thursdays thanks to generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program and the Efroymson Family Fund.

Free Thursdays removes barriers and opens doors to inspiration, learning, and connection, whether someone is a lifelong art enthusiast or just wants to explore and reflect.

About the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

Founded in 1924, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (KIA) is a nationally accredited art museum and community art school that brings people together through creativity, learning, and shared experience. Each year, more than 100,000 visitors explore 10–15 rotating exhibitions across the museum’s 10 galleries, drawn from a permanent collection of more than 4,600 works spanning American, European, Asian, and contemporary art.

Beyond the galleries, the KIA is a place where art is not only viewed but made. The Kirk Newman Art School (KNAS) welcomes more than 3,400 enrollments annually, offering hands-on instruction in ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, drawing and painting, printmaking, fiber, photography, glass fusing, and enrichment programs for all ages. Students learn directly from professional artists and educators in a dynamic, studio-based environment.

The museum campus also includes a multi-media auditorium, a publicly accessible art library, an interactive children’s gallery, and the KIA Gallery Shop featuring work by local, regional, and international artists.

Through exhibitions, education, and community partnerships, the KIA serves as a cultural anchor for Southwest Michigan — a place where art sparks curiosity, strengthens connection, and inspires new ways of seeing. Learn more at kiarts.org.