Dr. Eric Singleton has been appointed as the new director of the Booth Western Art Museum, set to assume the role in mid-July. He was selected after a nationwide search led by Georgia Museums President and Board Chair Lorri McClain, who praised his extensive experience, creativity, and collaborative leadership style. Singleton currently serves as the McCasland Chair of Cowboy Culture and Curator of Native American Art and Ethnology at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, bringing over 25 years of museum experience to the Booth. He has previously worked at the Gilcrease Institute of American History & Art and the Philbrook Museum of Art, and holds a Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University.
This appointment matters because it signals a strategic leadership transition at a major regional museum dedicated to Western American art. Singleton's deep expertise in Native American and Western history, combined with his record of mounting exhibitions, securing grants, and earning awards, positions him to invigorate the Booth's programming and community engagement. His plans to meet staff and donors early suggest a focus on collaboration and institutional growth, which could enhance the museum's role in preserving and interpreting Western heritage.