Timeline

1. 1. December 2023

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

   2. November 2023

      1. Union Drive Announced at Buffalo AKG Art Museum Unions External Link 1
      2. Guggenheim Museum Names the First Woman to Serve as Its Director and CEO Leadership, Museum Directors External Link 1 External Link 2
      3. SFMoMA Cuts 20 Jobs, Citing Low Attendance Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      4. Tacoma Art Museum Workers Vote Unanimously in Favor of Union Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      5. Resignation of Newfields CEO, Colette Pierce Burnette, after 15 Months in the Job Leadership, Museum Directors, Resignation External Link 1 External Link 2
      6. Open Letter: A Statement by Brooklyn Museum Workers in Support of Palestine Free Palestine Movement, Open letter External Link 1
      7. After Nearly Two Years of Negotiations, Brooklyn Museum Workers Ratify First Union Contract Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      8. Dallas Museum of Art Lays of 8% of Staff Ahead of Major Expansion Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      9. The Frick Pittsburgh Faces Backlash for Postponing Islamic Art Show Controversy, Free Palestine Movement External Link 1 External Link 2

   3. October 2023

      1. Artists Call for Boycott of Artforum After Firing of Editor-in-Chief Artist-Driven Activism, Controversy, Free Palestine Movement External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. Response from Artforum Publishers on Open Letter Broader Culture, Controversy, Free Palestine Movement External Link 1 External Link 2
      3. El Museo del Barrio Rejects Artwork Featuring Palestinian Flag Controversy, Free Palestine Movement External Link 1 External Link 2
      4. Mia Lopez Named First Curator of Latinx Art at McNay Art Museum Diversity, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      5. Thousands in the arts community sign Open Letter to Cultural Institutions in Support of Palestinian Liberation Free Palestine Movement, Open letter External Link 1 External Link 2 External Link 3
      6. Hammer Museum Announces Retirement of Director Ann Philbin Departure External Link 1 External Link 2
      7. Jewish Museum Workers Ratify First Contract Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      8. Museums Moving Forward Publishes Inaugural Data Study Data External Link 1 External Link 2

   4. September 2023

      1. Belinda Tate Named Director of Indianapolis Museum of Art Leadership, Museum Directors External Link 1 External Link 2

   5. August 2023

      1. New York Times reports on art executive compensation and benefits Leadership, Museum Directors External Link 1 External Link 2 External Link 3
      2. Art Institue of Chicago Workers Ratify First Union Contract Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      3. Guggenheim Workers Union Ratifies First Union Contract Unions External Link 1 External Link 2

   6. June 2023

      1. The Association of Art Museum Curators Publishes Best Practices in Artist Demographic Data Coordination Data External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. Philadelphia Museum of Art Workers Union Accuses Management of Reneging on Contract Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      3. Brooklyn Museum Hires First Full-Time Curator of Indigenous Art Indigenous Rights, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      4. After two year legal battle, Walters Art Museum workers vote yes on forming a union Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      5. Protestors at MoMA Gala over Board Chair's Ties to Fossil Fuels Museum Boards, Protest External Link 1 External Link 2
      6. W.A.G.E Launches New Platform and Raises Compensation Standards for Artists Pay / Compensation External Link 1 External Link 2

   7. May 2023

      1. After two month strike, Hispanic Society Museum and Library workers approve first union contract Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh Workers Ratify First Union Contract Unions External Link 1 External Link 2 External Link 3
      3. MoMA PS1 Names Connie Butler as its New Director Leadership, Museum Directors External Link 1 External Link 2
      4. Funders Announce $11 million initiative to diversify museum leadership Leadership, Museum Directors External Link 1 External Link 2

   8. April 2023

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

   9. March 2023

      1. Announced departure of Whitney Museum Director Adam Weinberg Departure External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. Resignation of Smithsonian National Museum of African Art's Director Departure External Link 1 External Link 2

   10. February 2023

       1. Four Art Foundations Award $5 million for Latinx Curatorial Positions Diversity, Staff External Link 1
       2. Whitney Union Members Protest Outside Museum Fundraiser Protest, Unions External Link 1

   11. January 2023

       1. Asma Naeem Named Director of Baltimore Museum of Art Leadership, Museum Directors External Link 1 External Link 2

2. 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. Departure of SITE Santa Fe's Director Irene Hofmann Departure, Staff External Link 1
      5. Founding of Walker Worker Union (AFSCME) Staff, Unions 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. Balitmore Museum of Art suspends deaccession plan Diversity, Exhibitions, Museum Collections External Link 1
      2. Departure of PAFA (Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art) President and CEO David Brigham Departure, Staff External Link 1
      3. Founding of Black Trustee Alliance Boards / Trustees, Museum Advocacy, Museum Boards External Link 1 External Link 2
      4. Baltimore Museum of Art Curators address deaccession plan Diversity, Exhibitions, Museum Collections External Link 1
      5. Departure of Guggenheim's Deputy Director and Chief Curator Nancy Spector Controversy, Departure, Staff External Link 1

   4. September 2020

      1. Philip Guston exhibition postponed Controversy, Museum External Link 1
      2. Museum Workers from Portland Museum of Art in Portland petititon for a Union election Staff, Unions External Link 1 External Link 2
      3. 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. Launch of Change The Museum (@changethemuseum Instagram account) Racism, Staff, White Supremacy External Link 1
      7. Founding of A Better Guggenheim Equity, Staff External Link 1
      8. Founding of Cultural New Deal Racism, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2
      9. Open letters from BIPOC staff and allies at SFMOMA, Guggenheim, Brooklyn, MFA Boston, etc. Open letter, Racism, Staff External Link 1 External Link 2

   8. May 2020

      1. Departure of Parrish Art Museum's Director Terrie Sultan Departure, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1
      2. Murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis Broader Culture, Racism External Link 1
      3. Departure of Akron Art Museum Director Mark Masuoka Departure, Discrimination, Harassment, Staff External Link 1
      4. Departure of Telfair Museum's Director Robin Nicholson Departure, Staff External Link 1
      5. 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. Murder of Breonna Taylor in Kentucky Broader Culture, Racism External Link 1
       2. "A Daily Report on How COVID-19 Is Impacting the Art World" Equity, Staff External Link 1
       3. COVID-19 pandemic begins in the US Broader Culture External Link 1

   11. February 2020

       1. Departure of Cooper Hewitt's Director Caroline Baumann Departure, Staff External Link 1
       2. Murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia Broader Culture, Racism External Link 1

   12. January 2020

       1. Report: CCLI National Landscape Study: The State of DEAI Practices in Museums Diversity, Equity, Museums External Link 1

3. 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. Report: The Burns Halperin Report on female-identifying artists Diversity, Exhibitions, Museum Collections, Sexism External Link 1
      2. Departure of ICA Philadelphia's Director Amy Sadao Departure, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1

   5. August 2019

      1. "A New Definition of 'Museum' Sparks International Debate" Controversy, Museum External Link 1

   6. July 2019

      1. Op-ed: Darren Walker "Museums Need to Step Into the Future" Museum Boards External Link 1 External Link 2
      2. "Warren Kanders Quits Whitney Board After Tear Gas Protests" Museum Boards External Link 1
      3. Organizing the Work of the Art Museum Internal Strategy, Museum Directors, Staff External Link 1
      4. Op-ed: Xaviera Simmons "Whiteness must undo itself to make way for the truly radical turn in contemporary culture" Racism, Whiteness External Link 1
      5. Art + Museum Transparency Shares Google Sheet Highlighting Unpaid Internships Equity, Staff External Link 1

   7. 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

   8. May 2019

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

   9. March 2019

      1. Decolonize This Place launched 9 Weeks of Art + Action to address the crisis at the Whitney Museum of American Art Artist-Driven Activism External Link 1
      2. Nikki Columbus settles claim against MoMA PS1 Discrimination External Link 1

   10. 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

4. 1. January 2013

      1. Founding of Black Lives Matter Broader Culture, Racial Injustice External Link 1