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Timeline

    1. March 2024

      1. Smithsonian American Art Museum Hires Dalila Scruggs as First African American Art Curator Staff External Link 1 External Link 2

    2. February 2024

      1. Adrienne Edwards Appointed Senior Curator and Associate Director of Curatorial Programming at the Whitney Museum Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. Minneapolis Institute of Art Staffers Allege Toxic Work Environment Protest, Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      3. Portland Museum of Art to Cut 13 Positions, Citing Pandemic Fallout Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      4. MoMA Promotes Michelle Kuo to Chief Curator at Large and Publisher Staff External Link 1 External Link 2

    1. December 2023

      1. Guggenheim Museum Lays off 10 Workers, Citing "Rising Costs and Inflation" Staff External Link 1

    2. November 2023

      1. SFMoMA Cuts 20 Jobs, Citing Low Attendance Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. Dallas Museum of Art Lays of 8% of Staff Ahead of Major Expansion Staff External Link 1 External Link 2

    3. October 2023

      1. Mia Lopez Named First Curator of Latinx Art at McNay Art Museum Diversity, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2

    4. June 2023

      1. Brooklyn Museum Hires First Full-Time Curator of Indigenous Art Indigenous Rights, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2

    5. April 2023

      1. Ryan N. Dennis Named Senior Curator at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston Diversity, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. Claudia Zapata Named First Curator of Latino Art at Blanton Museum of Art Diversity, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      3. New Recruitment Agency Supports Workers of Color in the Art World Diversity, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2

    6. February 2023

      1. Four Art Foundations Award $5 million for Latinx Curatorial Positions Diversity, Staff External Link 1

    1. November 2022

      1. Mellon Foundation Releases Latest Art Museum Staff Demographic Survey Results Data, Diversity, Staff External Link 1

    2. September 2022

      1. Philadelphia Museum of Art Union Workers Go on a One-Day ‘Warning’ Strike Staff, Strike, Unions External Link 1

    3. August 2022

      1. MASS MoCA Workers to Strike Amid Union Contract Negotiations Staff, Strike, Unions External Link 1

    4. July 2022

      1. The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago names Anslem Elumogo-Gardner as MCA's first Chief of Staff Leadership, Staff External Link 1

    5. June 2022

      1. Departure of MoMA PS1 Director Kate Fowle Departure, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1

    6. May 2022

      1. Departure of Met Curator and Chair of Modern and Contemporary Art Sheena Wagstaff Departure, Staff External Link 1

    7. March 2022

      1. Jewish Museum workers vote to unionize with Local 2110 UAW Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2

    8. February 2022

      1. Departure of Contemporary Arts Museum Houston's Senior Curator and Director of Public Art Allison Glenn Departure, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2

    9. January 2022

      1. Departure of Whitechapel Director Iwona Blazwick Departure, Staff External Link 1

    1. December 2021

      1. MOCA Los Angeles employees still negotiating first contract with museum leaders after unionizing two years ago Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2

    2. November 2021

      1. Founding of MFA Boston Union Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. Departure of Whitney Museum's Curator Christopher Y. Lew Departure, Staff External Link 1

    3. October 2021

      1. Founding of Baltimore Museum of Art Union Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. Report: Cultural institutions took federal money but still let go of workers COVID-19, Staff External Link 1

    4. September 2021

      1. Departure of MOCA Los Angeles Director Klaus Bisenbach Departure, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1

    5. August 2021

      1. Founding of Brooklyn Museum Union Local 2110 Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. Departure of MFA Boston's Chief of Learning and Community Engagement Makeeba McCreary Departure, Retention, Staff External Link 1
      3. Founding of Whitney Museum Union Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      4. Departure of Barbican's Managing Director Nicholas Kenyon Departure, Discrimination, Staff External Link 1

    6. July 2021

      1. Departure of Palm Springs Art Museum's Curator Rochelle Steiner Departure, Staff External Link 1

    7. April 2021

      1. Founding MASS MoCA Union Local 2110 Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. Op-ed: LaTanya S. Autry A Black Curator Imagines Otherwise Departure, Staff External Link 1
      3. Departure of MOCA Los Angeles Senior Curator Mia Locks Departure, Staff External Link 1
      4. Departure of Wadsworth's CEO Tom Loughman Departure, Staff External Link 1

    8. March 2021

      1. Departure of Bellevue Arts Museum Executive Director Benedict Heywood Departure, Staff External Link 1
      2. Artists pull out of Chicago MCA Exhibition in Protest of Worker Layoffs Artist-Driven Activism, Protest, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2

    9. February 2021

      1. Departure of MOCA Los Angeles Human Resources Director Carlos Viramontes Departure, Staff External Link 1
      2. First Collective Bargaining Agreement with IUOE Local 30 Guggenheim Workers Union Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      3. Cultural Workers address Indianapolis Museum of Art job posting controversy Controversy, Racism, Staff External Link 1
      4. Departure of SFMOMA's Director Neal Benezra Departure, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1
      5. Metropolitan Museum of Art considers deaccessioning part of their collection to gather funds for care of their collection due to COVID-19 challenges. Museum Collections, Staff External Link 1
      6. Departure of Carnegie Museum of Art's Deputy Director Ronald Lee Newman Departure, Staff External Link 1

    10. January 2021

      1. Departure of MCA Chicago's Chief Curator Michael Darling Departure, Staff External Link 1

    1. December 2020

      1. Museum Workers from Portland Museum of Art vote for a Union Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. Departure of Peabody Essex Museum's Director Brian P. Kennedy Departure, Staff External Link 1
      3. Founding of United Museum Workers Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      4. Founding of Walker Worker Union (AFSCME) Staff, Unions External Link 1
      5. Departure of SITE Santa Fe's Director Irene Hofmann Departure, Staff External Link 1

    2. November 2020

      1. Departure of Standford's Cantor Arts Center's Director Susan Dackerman Departure, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1
      2. Founding of Milwaukee Art Museum IAMAW United Lodge 66 Union Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      3. Ithaka S+R Art Museum Director Survey 2020 Internal Strategy, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1

    3. October 2020

      1. Departure of PAFA (Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art) President and CEO David Brigham Departure, Staff External Link 1
      2. Departure of Guggenheim's Deputy Director and Chief Curator Nancy Spector Controversy, Departure, Staff External Link 1

    4. September 2020

      1. Museum Workers from Portland Museum of Art in Portland petititon for a Union election Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. Departure of Montreal Museum of Fine Arts's Director Nathalie Bondil Departure, Staff External Link 1

    5. August 2020

      1. Founding of Philadelphia Museum of Art AFSCME DC 47 Union Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2

    6. July 2020

      1. Departure of MOCA Detroit's Director Elysia Borowy-Reeder Departure, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1
      2. Marciano Foundation pays laid-off workers 10 weeks of severance as part of settlement Staff, Unions External Link 1
      3. Departure of Newfields Curator Kelli Morgan Departure, Staff External Link 1
      4. Departure of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s Chief Curator Gary Garrels Departure, Staff External Link 1

    7. June 2020

      1. Op-ed: Kelli Morgan "To Bear Witness: Real Talk about White Supremacy in Art Museums Today" Racism, Staff, White Supremacy External Link 1
      2. SFMOMA Staffers Condemn ‘Racist Censorship’ and Institutional Inequities in Letter Calling for Change Racism, Staff, White Supremacy External Link 1
      3. Departure of MOCA Cleveland's Director Jill Snyder Departure, Staff External Link 1
      4. Public Letter: Andrea Montiel de Shuman "No longer in extremis." Racism, Resignation, Staff, White Supremacy External Link 1
      5. Departure of Norton Museum of Art Director Elliot Bostwick Davis Departure, Staff External Link 1
      6. Founding of A Better Guggenheim Equity, Staff External Link 1
      7. Founding of Cultural New Deal Racism, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      8. Open letters from BIPOC staff and allies at SFMOMA, Guggenheim, Brooklyn, MFA Boston, etc. Open letter, Racism, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      9. Launch of Change The Museum (@changethemuseum Instagram account) Racism, Staff, White Supremacy External Link 1

    8. May 2020

      1. Departure of Parrish Art Museum's Director Terrie Sultan Departure, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1
      2. Departure of Akron Art Museum Director Mark Masuoka Departure, Discrimination, Harassment, Staff External Link 1
      3. Departure of Telfair Museum's Director Robin Nicholson Departure, Staff External Link 1
      4. Launch of Museum Workers Relief Fund Staff External Link 1

    9. April 2020

      1. Indebted Cultural Workers Share Spreadsheet Highlighting Major Income Disparities at Cultural Institutions Equity, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. "Artists, Scholars, and Museum Workers Petition Museums to Retain Staff During Pandemic" Equity, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      3. US Museums allowed to use restricted funds for operational costs Deaccessioning, Museum Collections, Staff External Link 1
      4. Museum Endowments are reassessed after closures and layoffs Equity, Staff External Link 1
      5. Founding of Indebted Cultural Workers Equity, Staff External Link 1

    10. March 2020

      1. "A Daily Report on How COVID-19 Is Impacting the Art World" Equity, Staff External Link 1

    11. February 2020

      1. Departure of Cooper Hewitt's Director Caroline Baumann Departure, Staff External Link 1

    1. December 2019

      1. Departure of Bronx Museum’s Director Deborah Cullen-Morales Departure, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1
      2. Founding of MOCA Los Angeles Union Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2

    2. November 2019

      1. Ashley James Makes History as First Black Curator Hired by Guggenheim Museum Diversity, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2

    3. October 2019

      1. Departure of New York’s Cultural Affairs Leader Tom Finkelpearl Departure, Staff External Link 1

    4. September 2019

      1. Departure of ICA Philadelphia's Director Amy Sadao Departure, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1

    5. July 2019

      1. Organizing the Work of the Art Museum Internal Strategy, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1
      2. Art + Museum Transparency Shares Google Sheet Highlighting Unpaid Internships Equity, Staff External Link 1

    6. June 2019

      1. Founding of Solomon R. Guggenheim IUOE Local 30 Union Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2 External Link 3
      2. Departure of Phoenix Art Museum's Director Amada Cruz Departure, Staff External Link 1
      3. Departure of Guggenheim's Guest Curator Chaédria LaBouvier Controversy, Departure, Staff External Link 1

    7. May 2019

      1. #AAM2019 Keynote: Kippen de Alba Chu and Kimberly Drew Equity, Staff External Link 1
      2. Art + Museum Shares Google Sheet of Salary Transparency Equity, Staff External Link 1
      3. Founding of Art + Museum Transparency Equity, Staff External Link 1

    8. January 2019

      1. Report: Andrew W. Mellon Foundation's Study on Museum Staff Demographics Diversity, Staff External Link 1
      2. Founding of New Museum Union Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      3. Survey: POWarts Salary Survey Equity, Staff

    1. December 2018

      1. MoMA PS1 Art Handlers and Maintenance Workers Protest Unfair Wages Staff, Unions External Link 1

    2. November 2018

      1. Departure of Metropolitan Museum of Art's Social Media Manager Kimberly Drew Departure, Staff External Link 1

    3. September 2018

      1. Report: Andrew W. Mellon Foundation's and Ithaka S-R's Case Studies on Institutional Practices in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion from Eight Art Museums Diversity, Staff External Link 1
      2. Departure of California State Long Beach’s University Art Museum's Director Kimberli Meyer Departure, Staff External Link 1
      3. Departure of Palm Springs Art Museum's Executive Director Elizabeth Armstrong Departure, Staff External Link 1
      4. Report: Invisible no more an evalution of the Smithsonian Institution and Latino Representation Diversity, Exhibitions, Museum Collections, Staff External Link 1

    4. June 2018

      1. Departure of Brooklyn Museum's Deputy Director and Chief Curator Jennifer Y. Chi Departure, Staff External Link 1
      2. Departure of Munich's Haus Der Kunst's Director Okwui Enwezor Departure, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1

    5. April 2018

      1. Departure of Scottsdale Musuem of Contemporary Art's Director and Chief Curator Sara Cochran Departure, Staff External Link 1

    6. March 2018

      1. Departure of MOCA Los Angeles Chief Curator Helen Molesworth Departure, Staff External Link 1
      2. Departure of Ghent Museum's Director Catherine de Zegher Departure, Staff External Link 1
      3. Departure of Bordeaux's CAPC Musée D'art Contemporain's Director Maria Inés Rodríguez Departure, Staff External Link 1

    7. January 2018

      1. Departure of Queens Museum's Director Laura Raicovich Departure, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1
      2. Departure of VCU Institute for Contemporary Art's Director Lisa Freiman Departure, Staff External Link 1

    1. December 2017

      1. Departure of Jewish Museum's Curator Jens Hoffmann Departure, Staff External Link 1

    2. November 2017

      1. Departure of Walker Art Center's Executive Director Olga Viso Departure, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1

    3. October 2017

      1. Departure of Stedelijk Museum's Director Beatrix Ruf Departure, Staff External Link 1
      2. Departure of Aldrich Museum's Executive Director Alyson Baker Departure, Staff External Link 1

    4. September 2017

      1. Departure of MoMA Deputy Director Kathy Halbreich Departure, Staff External Link 1
      2. Departure of Carnegie Museum of Art's Director Lynn Zelevansky Departure, Staff External Link 1

    5. February 2017

      1. Departure of Metropolitan Museum’s Director Thomas P. Campbell Departure, Staff External Link 1

    1. October 2016

      1. Founding of MASS Action Museums, Staff External Link 1

    1. January 2015

      1. AAMD/Mellon study on Art Museum Staff Demographics Diversity, Staff External Link 1
      2. Founding of Museum Hue Diversity, Equity, Staff External Link 1
      3. Founding of Museum Workers Speak Diversity, Equity, Staff External Link 1