Project

Appointed as Public Policy Officer, New Orleans Museum of Art

Program

Mellon/ACLS Public Fellows

PhD field of study

PhD, Cultural Anthropology, Duke University

Position Description

Founded in 1911, the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is the largest art museum in the Gulf South region, with a mission to inspire the love of art; to collect, preserve, exhibit and present excellence in the visual arts; and to educate, challenge and engage a diverse public. The museum’s permanent collection, which encompasses almost 40,000 objects spanning over 5,000 years, is noted for its strengths in French and American art, photography, and glass, as well as collections of African, Japanese, and Louisiana art. NOMA’s Department of Development and External Affairs works with individuals, corporations, foundations, and government agencies to support every facet of the museum.

The Public Policy Officer would have responsibility for working closely with Susan M. Taylor, NOMA’s director, during her tenure as president of the Board of Trustees of the Association of Art Museum Directors from June 2014 to June 2015; collaborating with NOMA staff to develop new and sustainable approaches in community engagement; developing a field-wide survey of how cultural organizations maneuver and adapt in a growing and competitive funding landscape such as New Orleans; and exploring and pursuing opportunities at the city, state, and federal levels to maximize support for the museum and its initiatives.