open art museum directorships in the united states list 1234770804

A significant number of American art museums are currently without a permanent director, or will soon be. Recent departures include Sally Tallant from the Queens Museum to lead London's Hayward Gallery, and David Brenneman from Telfair Museums due to a medical condition. Other high-profile vacancies include the National Portrait Gallery, MOCA Los Angeles, the New Museum, the Portland Art Museum, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, the Clark Art Institute, the Newark Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, among many others across various budget sizes and regions.

hayward gallery london sally tallant director 1234770446

Sally Tallant, director of New York’s Queens Museum, to lead London’s Hayward Gallery

Sally Tallant, currently director of the Queens Museum in New York, has been appointed director of the Hayward Gallery and visual arts at the Southbank Centre in London. She will succeed Ralph Rugoff, who steps down in spring after 20 years. Tallant previously worked as an assistant curator at the Hayward in 2001 and later led the Liverpool Biennial from 2011 to 2019. She will begin her new role in July, while Rugoff will oversee a major Anish Kapoor retrospective opening in June.

How Expo Chicago’s One-of-a-Kind Curatorial Forum Came to Be

Expo Chicago has distinguished itself within the global art fair circuit through its unique Curatorial Forum, a partnership with Independent Curators International (ICI) that began in 2014. Originally conceived by Tony Karman and Renaud Proch, the program has evolved from a small gathering into a major national convening that provides curators with professional development, networking opportunities, and a platform for thought leadership. The initiative has been so successful that ICI established its only year-round satellite office in Chicago to support the local curatorial community.

queens museum debra wimpfheimer executive director 1234773175

The Queens Museum has appointed Debra Wimpfheimer as its new executive director. A Queens native, Wimpfheimer has worked at the museum for over two decades, previously holding roles including director of strategic partnerships and deputy director, and has served twice as interim director.

Rose Art Museum Holds First Benefit Gala in Over 20 Years

The Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University held its first benefit gala in over twenty years in New York City on May 12, 2025. The event honored Lizbeth Krupp, longtime Chair of the museum's Board of Advisors, and acclaimed artist Hugh Hayden, whose major survey "Hugh Hayden: Home Work" is currently on view at the museum. Co-chaired by Sara Friedlander and Abigail Ross Goodman, the gala raised over $900,000 toward a new $2 million Exhibition Endowment Fund, seeded by a lead gift from Krupp, to support future contemporary art exhibitions.

An Art Museum Has Evolved Along With Its Neighborhood

The Queens Museum is undergoing a significant transformation to better serve its diverse local community, moving away from traditional elitist museum models. Under the leadership of director Sally Tallant, the institution has integrated social services, including a food pantry and community organizing spaces, directly into its operational fabric while maintaining a rigorous contemporary art program.