She enjoyed Chicago, but a job opportunity brought her to Ohio: She applied to become the curator at Springfield’s Westcott House, designed in 1906 by famed architect Wright. The historic home was being restored and was just about to open to the public when she took the position in 2005.
“I loved it from the beginning,” Wojcik said of Springfield.
The community was welcoming and kind, and it was exciting to be employed inside a work of art, she said. In the 20 years that she has been at the Westcott House, where she added executive director to her titles in 2010, Wojcik has continued to find new ways to use the structure and its history to expand boundaries and build community.
“A small organization like ours is a bit of an underdog, which motivates you to prove yourself,” she said.
It also gave Wojcik and the others at the house the freedom to try new things over the years, such as displaying abstract paintings, glass installations and photographs of urban areas. In addition, a design education program connects the Westcott House to local students and their families.
What’s more, Wojcik oversees a series of local tours, which guide participants through Springfield’s history, architecture and more via foot or bike. She also brought PechaKucha Nights to Springfield, which brings people together to share ideas and stories in a unique slide-and-speech format.
Wojcik was nominated as a Dayton Daily News Community Gem by Shayna McConville for the passion and initiative that she brings to her work. McConville, division manager of cultural arts for the city of Kettering, said that Wojcik has helped to develop an identity for Springfield that has spread beyond the city limits.
“In the world of arts and nonprofits and city revitalization, Marta is just one of the greatest examples of a person who is a good leader and thinks big picture but is also very much doing the day-to-day of making a nonprofit run,” McConville said.
The Westcott House employs a team of four, in addition to hosting more than 60 volunteers, Wojcik said. The building welcomes about 10,000 visitors each year, including around 7,000 who take a paid tour. About 85 percent of those tour-takers come from outside of Clark County, including some who visit from out-of-state or even internationally.
“That’s a credit again to the popularity of Frank Lloyd Wright,” said Wojcik, 48, who lives with her family within walking distance of the Westcott House, in a house that she and her husband renovated in the South Fountain Historic District of Springfield.
Wojcik likes surprising others with what the Westcott House can accomplish.
“I’ve found so many creative people here,” she said. “There’s just no reason not to do something that’s pushing boundaries.”
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