The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art at Florida Southern College has appointed Laura V. Putnam as its new Curator of Exhibitions. Putnam, who has worked at the museum since 2013 and most recently served as Manager of Exhibitions and Adult Programs, steps into the role following the departure of former Executive Director and Chief Curator Dr. Alex Rich. She will lead the conceptualization, development, and execution of all exhibitions, including original research, artwork selection, and collaboration with artists and partner institutions.
This appointment matters because it represents a significant internal promotion that leverages deep institutional knowledge during a period of growth for the museum, which opened its new Dr. Anne B. Kerr Wing in January 2025, adding 14,000 square feet of exhibition and education space. Putnam's curatorial experience, including exhibitions like 'Darkroom Alchemy: Photographs by Jerry Uelsmann' and 'The Medici Dynasty: Renaissance in Florence,' positions her to shape the museum's expanding program as the largest nationally accredited visual arts organization in Polk County and the only Smithsonian Affiliate art museum in Central Florida.