New Appointments Announced at Studio Museum in Harlem, National Gallery of Canada, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Terra Foundation & More
SEVERAL ART INSTITUTIONS announced notable new curatorial and leadership appointments over the past month, including newly created roles at the Studio Museum in Harlem and the Terra Foundation for American Art in Chicago: T. Camille Martin-Thomsen is incoming dean of faculty and vice president of academic affairs at The School of the Art...
In California, Elena Gross is Incoming Co-Director at Berkeley Art Center, Which Champions Bay Area Artists and Curators
IN BERKELEY, CALIF., Elena Gross is joining the Berkeley Art Center (BAC) as co-director. Gross brings eight years of experience working in the Bay Area arts community and a background that spans museums, culturally specific institutions, commercial galleries, independent nonprofits, and arts publications. Gross is currently director of exhibitions and curatorial affairs at the Museum...
Charmaine Jefferson Elected Board Chair at California Institute of the Arts, Where Charles Gaines Taught and Mark Bradford, Henry Taylor, and Lauren Halsey Earned Degrees
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS elected Charmaine Jefferson chair of its board of trustees. A veteran arts administrator, she has been a member of the board at CalArts since 2006. Her appointment is historic, Jefferson is the first Black person to lead the board since the school was founded more than half a century...
In New York, Public Art Fund Welcomes New Senior Curator: ‘Among Her Generation, Allison Glenn Has Emerged as a Leading Curatorial Voice’
THE NEXUS OF ART and community is central to the work of curator Allison Glenn. She is taking on a new role that will fuel that focus, bringing contemporary art to broader audiences through public art initiatives. After stints in New Orleans, Bentonville, Ark., and Houston, Glenn is headed to New York City where she...
Ndubuisi C. Ezeluomba Returns to Virginia Museum of Fine Arts as Curator of African Art: ‘I Hope to Inspire an Appreciation for and Deeper Understanding of African Art’
THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS (VMFA) named Ndubuisi C. Ezeluomba to the position of curator of African art. The appointment marks his return to the Richmond museum. From 2016-18, Ezeluomba was an Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Research Specialist in African Art at VMFA. Ezeluomba will be responsible for the museum’s African art collection,...
Erica Wall Will Lead Lunder Institute at Colby College Museum of Art in Maine
THE COLBY COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART announced the appointment Erica Wall. An arts leader with two decades of experience, she will serve as director of the Lunder Institute for American Art. Located in downtown Waterville, Me., the Lunder Institute was established in 2017 as the research and creative arm of the museum. Inviting artists,...
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Announced New Appointments Across Curatorial, Programming, and Diversity and Inclusion Teams
THE FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO (FAMSF) announced a slate of new staff members on May 5, including Abram Jackson, director of interpretation; Courtney Jones, manager of diversity and inclusion; Sarah Mackay, assistant curator, Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts; and Devin Malone, director of public programs and community engagement. FAMSF is comprised of...
Detroit Institute of Arts Appoints Juana Williams Associate Curator of African American Art
THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS (DIA) is welcoming a new curator this week, naming Juana Williams associate curator of African American art. An independent curator based in Detroit, she recently served as director of exhibitions at Library Street Collective and was an adjunct faculty member in art history at Wayne State University. Williams is...
Lauren Haynes is Returning to New York City, Joining Queens Museum as Director of Curatorial Affairs and Programs
THE QUEENS MUSEUM in Queens, N.Y., announced the appointment of Lauren Haynes as director of curatorial affairs and programs this morning. Haynes spent a decade on the curatorial team at the Studio Museum in Harlem, departing in 2016 to join the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark. Last year, she accepted...
Jessica Bell Brown Promoted to Curator and Department Head for Contemporary Art at Baltimore Museum of Art
THE CONTEMPORARY ART DEPARTMENT at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) is now led by Jessica Bell Brown. After joining the museum as associate curator of contemporary art in November 2019, Brown was promoted to curator and department head for contemporary art earlier this month. In her new role, she is overseeing a growing...
Camille Ann Brewer Appointed Director of San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles: ‘I’m Thrilled to be Part of an Institution That Celebrates California’s Legacy and History in Textile Arts’
THE SAN JOSE MUSEUM OF QUILTS AND TEXTILES (SJMQT) announced its new director will be Camille Ann Brewer. A Detroit, Mich.-based curator, handweaver, and archivist, Brewer will shape the museum’s vision and strategy, leading operations, exhibitions and programming, the collection, community engagement, and donor relations. Brewer brings a spectrum of experience to SJMQT, more than...
Ernestine White-Mifetu Appointed Curator of African Art at Brooklyn Museum
THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM recently welcomed Ernestine White-Mifetu as Sills Foundation Curator of African Art. White-Mifetu was working as an independent artist and curator when she joined the Brooklyn Museum. She brings two decades of experience to the role. Previously, she served as director and chief curator of the William Humphreys Art Gallery in Northern Cape,...
Phillips Collection Hires Chief Diversity Officer, Highlighting His Background in Psychology as ‘New Lens’ for Museum’s Equity and Inclusion Work
THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION in Washington, D.C., named a new chief diversity officer. Yuma Tomes, a psychologist whose experience includes teaching, research, and academic administration, was appointed Horning Chair for Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion. Tomes joined The Phillips Collection in February from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, where he had been serving as...
Latest News in Black in Art: Kimberly Drew Joins Pace Gallery as Associate Director, Plus New Appointments at Smithsonian, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Guggenheim & More
Latest News in Black Art features news updates and developments in the world of art and related culture Writer, Curator, and Activist Kimberly Drew. | Photo by Inez & Vinoodh, Courtesy Kimberly Drew and Pace Gallery Appointments Pace Gallery announced the appointment of Kimberly Drew as associate director. Based in New York,...
Cleveland Museum of Art Promotes Key Jo Lee to Associate Curator: ‘It Has Been an Honor and Joy to Witness Key Jo’s Evolution as Museum Professional’
THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART (CMA) is elevating Key Jo Lee to associate curator of American art. The news was announced Jan. 18. Lee joined CMA in 2017 as assistant director of academic affairs. In 2021, she was appointed director of academic affairs and associate curator of special projects. Her latest promotion is effective July...
Meagan Burger Joins California’s Orange County Museum of Art as Director of Learning and Engagement
AS IT PREPARES TO WELCOME the public to a new building later this year, the Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) announced two new appointments today. Courtenay Finn is joining the Southern California museum as chief curator in March. She is currently chief curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland. Meagan Burger is serving...
Henone K. Girma: Newark Museum of Art Names New Curator of Arts of Global Africa
THE NEWARK MUSEUM OF ART is starting off the new year by welcoming a new member to its curatorial team. Henone K. Girma has been named associate curator of the Arts of Global Africa. Girma joins the Newark Museum of Art in New Jersey from The Africa Center in Harlem, where she served as programs...
On the Rise: 69 Museum Curators and Arts Leaders Who Took on Notable New Appointments in 2021
FIVE YEARS AGO, Culture Type began reporting on new appointments of Black curators, primarily in museums. The first review in 2016 was prompted by findings published by the Mellon Foundation (2015) that showed American museums employed very few Black people in positions that shape them in terms of their management and intellectual direction as...
Crystal Williams Appointed President of Rhode Island School of Design: ‘She Has the Expertise and Qualities of Leadership Needed to Meet the Urgency of This Moment and Take RISD Into the Future’
Incoming RISD President Crystal Williams. | Photo by Jo Sittenfeld THE NEXT PRESIDENT of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is Crystal Williams. The school’s board of trustees announced the news this morning. A professor, poet, and diversity advocate, Williams brings more than two decades of higher education experience to RISD. She currently...
Latest News in Black Art: Eric Pryor Named President of Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Jarrell Gibbs Painted Portrait of Late Congressman Elijah Cummings & More
Latest News in Black Art features news updates and developments in the world of art and related culture Dec. 8, 2021: At PAFA, incoming president Eric Pryor is flanked by paintings by John Neagle (“Pat Lyon at the Forge,” 1829) and Kehinde Wiley (Three Wise Men Greeting Entry into Lagos,” 2008). | Courtesy...
