JiaJia Fei, a self-taught digital strategist, built her career by pioneering social media and digital initiatives at New York's Jewish Museum and the Guggenheim, eventually founding the first digital agency dedicated to the art world. She now consults for clients including Crystal Bridges Museum, Canyon, the Obama Presidential Center, and Independent Art Fair, embodying a shift from institutional employment to independent practice.
This profile matters because it highlights the growing trend of art workers leaving traditional institutions for self-employment, driven by low pay, eliminated jobs, and the desire for greater autonomy. Fei's story, paired with insights from the Hardwiring Change report on gender equity, underscores the structural challenges women face in the art industry and the innovative paths they forge to overcome them.