Director Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth Fort Worth, TX The Opportunity The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (the Modern) is seeking an inspiring and engaging leader to partner with the Board of Trustees in shaping a vision for and shepherding the organization into its next exciting chapter as an innovative 21st-century institution. With a genuine desire to embed themselves in the Fort Worth community, this individual will be a credible contemporary and modern administrator and “relationship architect,” adept at forging, burnishing, and sustaining local and regional partnerships while initiating and leveraging national and global networks. The next Director will cultivate major gifts from individual donors and steward significant past and current donors, while also identifying and connecting with new potential supporters. The Director will foster and support a dedicated staff as well as an extensive group of internal and external constituents (volunteers, donors, artists, civic leaders, community partners, and others) to enhance the Modern’s impact and continue to broaden access to the museum’s collection and programs for its varied and diverse audiences. An authentic and accessible communicator, the Director will collaborate closely with the Board to develop a sustainable operational and financial model to continue its success and to ensure that the Modern will remain a vibrant social hub in the community, and significant pillar of Fort Worth’s arts ecosystem while raising the museum’s profile in the broader cultural world. About The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth was first established in 1892, making it the oldest museum in Texas and one of the oldest in the western United States. Founded by a group of forward-thinking women as the Fort Worth Public Library and Art Gallery in downtown Fort Worth, its mission evolved through the years. Consequently, the Museum has undergone several name changes and been housed in various buildings over the decades. Although the word “modern” only became part of the museum’s name in 1987, it has always been dedicated to the art of our time. The Museum’s first permanent building was designed by the Bauhaus-trained architect Herbert Bayer and opened in 1954. The Cultural District began to develop around the site over the next few years, and with the arrival of new institutions such as the Amon Carter Museum and Kimbell Art Museum, the Modern modified its focus to international art from World War II to the present. In 2002, the Modern relocated within the Cultural District to a world-renowned building designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando. The Japanese architect designed an elegant concrete, glass, and steel building with 53,000 square feet of soaring, light-filled gallery space and landscaped grounds with outdoor sculptures. The building features a reflecting pond, theater, education center, gift shop, and café, creating a thriving gathering place for the community and beyond. Acclaimed for its concrete walls and glass sheath, with pavilions that seem to float on an expansive reflecting pond, the building allows for major exhibitions, insightful educational programming, and the most comprehensive displays of the Museum’s collection in its history. The Modern is a center of lifelong learning and exchange, serving as a true “gathering space” in the city’s Cultural District. The Modern’s programs include tours, lectures by leading figures in the art world, youth and adult classes, art camps, workshops, and a range of small-group studio and gallery programs led by the Museum’s educators, docents, and community artists. “First Fridays” typically attract 500 to 600 people to the Modern and the Tuesday Lecture Series in the spring and fall provides special opportunities to entertain patrons, artists, and other supporters with intimate events. Similarly, opening weekend receptions and dinners are well attended, drawing many for their chic and festive atmosphere. The Modern also presents critically acclaimed first-run films and partners with other local arts organizations to offer music, dance, and theater. The Collection* The collection of the Modern is one of the primary catalysts to fulfill the Museum’s Mission: to collect and present international art dated after 1940 and create a welcoming environment for its public appreciation. Among all its activities, the art collection is at the heart of the institution. The Modern’s collection holdings now comprise approximately 3,000 works of art, which reflects the dynamic work of the Museum acquisition program, the efforts to enrich and diversify artistic perspectives represented in the collection, and provide visitors the opportunity to view, study, question, and learn from the most significant art and artist of our time. Works encompass painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography, installation, film, and video and include art from Modern masters such as Francis Bacon, Dan Flavin, Philip Guston, Ellsworth Kelly, Roy Lichtenstein, Agnes Martin, Joan Mitchell, Robert Motherwell, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Andy Warhol and can appear alongside some of the internationally recognized artists living and working today such as Mark Bradford and Sean Scully and popular favorites such as KAWS and Takashi Murakami. A distinguishing feature of the Modern’s collection is its in-depth concentrations of work by a number of significant modern and contemporary artists. These bodies of work enable an understanding of each artist’s creative evolution and are a testament to the Museum’s close relationships with individual artists and their estates, and the Museum’s belief in the benefits of such collaborations. The collection and acquisition program are made possible by the generosity of donors and partners, past and future, committed to internationally acclaimed art and artists and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. *Excerpts taken from the book (2019): Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth Collection Highlights The Building The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth’s building is located in Fort Worth’s celebrated Cultural District, directly opposite the Kimbell Art Museum, designed by Louis I. Kahn, and near the Amon Carter Museum, designed by Philip Johnson. Ando’s design embodies the pure, unadorned elements of a modern work of art. Described as one of the “World’s Most Beautiful Art Museums” by Travel + Leisure magazine,“ with…”pavilions that seem to float on the water…” (Condé Nast Traveller), the Modern was named the “Best-designed Building” in Texas by Architectural Digest in 2019. Massive planar walls of concrete boldly express the building’s basic form. Forty-foot-tall transparent walls of glass framed in metal surround the concrete, providing magnificent areas from which to view the building, the large reflecting pond, the landscaped grounds, and outdoor sculpture. The desire to use diffused and reflected natural light within the gallery spaces was a major influence on the building’s design. Immense cantilevered cast-concrete roofs shade the building’s exterior and accommodate the introduction of natural light into the galleries through sophisticated systems of continuous linear skylights and clerestory windows. Supporting the concrete roof slabs are five forty-foot-tall concrete, Y-shaped columns. These columns are an outstanding architectural and engineering achievement, and have become an icon of the Museum. For more information on the Modern, please visit the Museum’s website: https://www.themodern.org/. About Fort Worth, TX With a population of over 900,000 residents, Fort Worth is a “big town,” with its own distinct rhythm amidst the vast expanse of the Lone Star State, with a unique tapestry of culture, history, and charm. Unlike Dallas, its bustling sibling city, Fort Worth embraces its cowboy heritage with a pride that’s unmistakably Texan. The Modern is a key pillar of the Cultural District, along with the Kimbell Art Museum, the Amon Carter Museum, and the Bass Performance Hall. Together these institutions stand as a testament to the City’s deep commitment to the arts and its community, so that Fort Worth’s active and world-renowned cultural offerings rival that of any major metropolis, with a strong theater, opera, and music scene including home of the Van Cliburn international competition. There are new opportunities for visual artists and a burgeoning gallery scene. The city also offers wonderful partnership possibilities, with world-class universities and medical schools deeply invested in the cultural sphere of the city. The passion of the city’s arts supporters demonstrates their belief in the institutions. A strong public arts program has been growing each day, and art is prominently on display in Sundance Square, new boutique hotels, and downtown businesses. The iconic Fort Worth Stockyards, where longhorns once roamed and cowboys wrangled, still echo with the spirit of bygone days. It’s this tangible link to history that sets Fort Worth apart, infusing the city with a rugged authenticity that’s hard to find elsewhere. Fort Worth is known for its quirky and un-ironic juxtaposition of old and new, high and low culture. The museums are in the center of a district devoted to arts and culture while being steps from the annual rodeo and livestock shows, attended by future farmers, Grammy Award-winning musicians, and international museum boards, alike. “A melting pot with reverence for history,” Fort Worth is more than just rich with history. It’s a cosmopolitan city that’s evolved while retaining its soul, drawing hipsters, boutique coffee shops, farmers markets, as well as major tech innovation with Lockheed Martin, Texas Instruments, and Bell Helicopter all in the mix. One of the fastest growing cities in the country, Fort Worth is the 12th largest city in the country. The vibrancy of a mix of belief systems, new resources, and influx of people determined to honor the past while driving the city forward is unmistakable. What truly sets Fort Worth apart is its sense of community. Despite its size, the city maintains a tight-knit feel, where neighbors still wave to each other on the street and local businesses thrive on word-of-mouth recommendations. The city has distinctive and beautiful neighborhoods with accessible housing prices. Home to a highly rated school system with some of the best public schools in Texas, Fort Worth prioritizes education. The cost of living is slightly lower than other cities its size. DFW International Airport is readily accessible from Fort Worth, which makes it is easy to travel almost anywhere in the world while planting deep roots and maintaining strong ties in an eminently livable place. In Fort Worth, the past and present intertwine seamlessly, making it a down-to-earth community where cowboy hats and skyscrapers coexist, where history is revered but innovation is embraced, and where the spirit of the Old West lives on in the hearts of its residents. For more information on Fort Worth, please visit https://www.fortworth.com/visitor-guide/. Position Overview The Modern’s next Director will engage in a strategic planning process to create and implement a vision and plan that galvanizes the passion, dedication, and efforts of the staff, Board leadership, and community for the Modern’s next exciting chapter. Working closely with senior staff members, this individual will also help lead the Museum through the reaccreditation process of American Alliance of Museums (AAM) in 2025/2026. Since its founding, the Modern has been governed by a Board of Trustees that currently comprises 62 community members. There is an Executive Committee drawn from members of the Board which sets policy, is responsible for securing the museum’s operating funds, and oversees all acquisitions (in partnership with the Acquisition Committee), exhibitions, and programs. The institution serves approximately 165,000 visitors annually, and employs approximately 61 full-time and 42 part-time staff, plus 69 docents/volunteers. In the past 10 years, the Modern’s annual budget has grown from $8 million to $13.5 million. The Modern’s endowment is valued at $198 million as of March 2024, including designated endowment funds for acquisitions totaling $45.6 million. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: • Provide outstanding leadership in the advancement of the Modern’s collections, exhibitions, and educational programs. • Identify and implement opportunities to expand the Modern’s reputation locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally; oversee the development and implementation of an ambitious and extensive exhibition and program schedule. • Promote a culture of operational excellence and best practices throughout the institution. • Maintain an organizational culture and values based on openness, honesty, respect, and innovation, that attracts, retains, and motivates committed, highly qualified professionals and dedicated corps of volunteers. • Identify, cultivate, and generate financial support to sustain the Museum over the long term, working closely with the Board of Trustees and Modern Contemporaries, as well as with the Modern’s development team to develop and spearhead the Museum’s short- and long-term fundraising plans. • Expand ties to the philanthropic, governmental, university, and civic communities. Grow the area’s cultural legacy by maintaining a strong, cooperative relationship with the Kimbell Art Museum and the Amon Carter Museum to enhance the success and prominence of all three institutions. • In coordination with the appropriate staff of the Museum, develop and present an annual operating budget as well as capital, program, and project budgets to the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees; monitor the implementation of the budget and oversee financial analysis and forecasting throughout the fiscal year. • Provide dynamic community leadership to enhance the visibility of the Modern and its reputation as an exceptional cultural, economic, community, and university resource; bring the joy and relevance of art to the Modern’s current and future constituencies. • Empower staff and ensure that there is a cohesive team, all working in the same direction, willing and able to share new ideas and try new ways to solve future problems. Candidate Profile While it is understood that no one candidate will bring every desired skill, characteristic, and experience, the following offers a reflection of the ideal candidate profile. Top candidates will possess an energetic and entrepreneurial leadership style with a passion for art as well as strong managerial experience. The director will have a solid art history background, be creative in their approach to art museums, and be considered by their peers in the museum world to be a credible, well-regarded colleague. This individual will be able to shape and articulate strategic plans for the Modern and possess superb skills in leadership, fundraising, financial management, audience development, and as a decision-maker. The director must be willing and able to serve as the organization’s spokesperson to all constituencies, both external and internal, increasing awareness of the Modern by clearly articulating the museum’s ambitious goals and programs. The next leader will be a bold thinker with a resourceful bent and a sense of humor, willing and able to bring ideas to the Modern while being appreciative of the museum’s history and long-standing reputation in the community earned over several decades. Education: An advanced degree in art or art history, museum education, arts management, business administration, or other relevant field or research area is preferred. Our client is interested in candidates who have equivalent professional experience and a track record of accomplishment in the cultural sector; deep professional and leadership experience in a comparable setting will also be seriously considered. The next Director of the Modern will also demonstrate the following professional and personal qualities and characteristics: Strategic and Visionary Leadership Top candidates will possess at least ten years of progressively responsible experience in a museum or related educational/research organization, with at least five years at a senior managerial level. A collaborative leader with high EQ (emotional intelligence) who has been successful working with a range of constituents to define and refine long-term institutional goals, creating and executing new strategic plans. Genuine and broad intellectual interests and openness to new ideas, thinking, perspectives, and experiences, with the ability to serve as an effective thought leader in weaving these concepts directly into the work of an institution. Passion for the Mission Deep personal interest in modern and contemporary art with a nuanced appreciation for the evolving role of museums, and an interest in being an active voice as part of this conversation in the field at large. Knowledge of and commitment to art history and museums. A high level of enthusiasm for art and its role, purpose, and opportunities in today’s world, and a desire to engage the community with and through art. An Effective Friend- and Fundraiser A commitment to building bridges and partnerships, with experience in working with other community-wide cultural and educational institutions. Enthusiastic about the opportunity to partner with Board members, staff, and other key constituents. With personal and professional integrity of the highest degree, great comfort level operating in the public arena which includes valuing outward engagement, being at ease with people, and accepting the public demands made upon a leader with visibility in the community. Understanding of fundraising principles and strategy with experience building philanthropic relationships. Able to provide high-touch engagement with a range of constituents. Capable of cultivating major gifts from individual donors and stewarding significant past and current donors, while also identifying and connecting with new potential supporters. Operational Excellence and Financial Management Expertise in the principal functions of art museums and best practices in the field. Experience leading teams effectively (including “managing by influence”). Knowledge of and experience with the funding models and strategies of multifaceted cultural institutions, including private as well as public funding. A strong record of successful oversight and management of finance and operations, with the perspective to consider the impact of decisions and make sound recommendations. Authentic Spokesperson and Adept Relationship Builder An engaging, credible, and persuasive spokesperson to a range of external audiences locally, nationally, and beyond, underscoring the role of art and culture to these communities and across the field of art museums generally. A person drawn to the opportunity for dialogue, conversation, and communication with others. An active and sensitive listener with superb written and verbal communication skills. Facility connecting genuinely with audiences of varying levels of expertise, as well as the ability to plan and execute a successful marketing and communications strategy to elevate the profile of the Modern. Culture Champion and Staff Leadership Foster a positive working environment for the entire organization, enriching staff morale, and advancing an atmosphere of teamwork and mutual support among all staff. A person who encourages the engagement, growth, and achievement of others as an aspect of their leadership. Results-oriented with a collegial and collaborative working style. Experience and success supporting the values of accessibility and inclusion in an organization or community context. Compensation & Benefits The salary range for this role is between $340,000 – $380,000. Compensation includes an excellent benefits package and is commensurate with experience. Contact Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Naree W.S. Viner and Stephen Milbauer of Koya Partners have been exclusively retained for this search. To express interest in this role please submit your materials https://talent-profile.diversifiedsearchgroup.com/search/v2/20774, or email Naree or Stephen directly at smilbauer@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential. Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email NonprofitSearchOps@divsearch.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process. The Modern is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of all personal characteristics and backgrounds. About Koya Partners Koya Partners, a part of Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world. For more information about Koya Partners, visit https://diversifiedsearchgroup.com/koya-partnersTo apply, visit:https://apptrkr.com/5473883
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