NEW ORLEANS — The Board of Trustees of Prospect New Orleans announced today that Nick Stillman, current President & CEO of the Arts Council of New Orleans, will be the new Executive Director effective April 2, 2018. The board unanimously selected Stillman from a field of highly qualified national and international candidates.
“Nick brings to Prospect a depth of experience in arts administration matched with a strong background in contemporary art curation and critical writing,” said Christopher J. Alfieri, incoming President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Prospect New Orleans. “Nick’s existing relationships with many of Prospect’s funders and community partners will benefit him significantly in his new role. We appreciate his commitment to New Orleans and look forward to working with him to fulfill Prospect’s mission of showing the best work of diverse international artists in unique and culturally exceptional venues throughout the city.”
Stillman has served as President & CEO of the Arts Council of New Orleans since 2016 where he worked with staff and board to lead the restructuring of the city’s arts agency and steward a series of initiatives including LUNA Fête, the Arts Council’s contemporary art and technology festival, and enabling artists to impact public space in innovative ways. Before joining the Arts Council, Stillman was Visiting Critic of Modern and Contemporary Art at the University of New Orleans.
Prior to that, he was Managing Editor of BOMB magazine in New York. Between 2006-2007, Stillman curated eight exhibitions at PS1 Institute of Contemporary Art in New York, including the debut museum solo shows by Kalup Linzy, Amy Granat, and Joe Bradley as a member of the museum’s initial cohort of Curatorial Advisors. Stillman has been an active contributor to several publications, including Artforum, Flash Art, and Modern Painters.
“I’m incredibly honored and excited to join Prospect New Orleans,” Stillman said. “This is a unique opportunity to merge my background in contemporary art with my executive and financial experience at the Arts Council. I’m excited to begin working with Prospect’s staff, board and Artistic Director to situate artist projects in public and private space, build trust and relationships locally, and approach all initiatives with a collaborative spirit.”
Helmed by new Board Chairman Amanda Mantle Winstead, the Arts Council will continue its vibrant programming, such as creating a Tricentennial iteration of LUNA Fete, producing murals in public space, and working collaboratively with partner organizations and local youth on the Creative Digital Equity initiative.
The Board of Directors of Prospect New Orleans will also undergo a change in leadership. After ten years of service, Susan G. Brennan will step down as President and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, but will remain active on the board. She will be succeeded in both roles by Christopher J. Alfieri, who has served on the board since the organization’s founding in 2007. Additionally, current board member Allison Kendrick will step into the office of Treasurer. Michael Wilkinson will continue in the role of Vice Chairman and Staci Rosenberg will continue as Secretary.
On Friday, February 23, Prospect New Orleans leadership will kick-off the closing weekend of Prospect.4, and following the tradition of the organization, will name the new Artistic Director for Prospect.5, the fifth iteration of the international contemporary art triennial scheduled for the fall of 2020. Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University Chief Curator Trevor Schoonmaker served as Artistic Director of Prospect.4, which opened in November 2017 to record attendance and critical praise. Ylva Rouse, formerly Prospect New Orleans’ Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs, served as Interim Director from March 2017 while the organization conducted a national search for a new Executive Director following the departure of Brooke Davis Anderson. The exhibition closes on February 25, 2018.
ABOUT PROSPECT NEW ORLEANS INCOMING LEADERSHIP:
Nick Stillman, Executive Director
Stillman has served as President & CEO of the Arts Council of New Orleans since 2016 where he worked with staff and board to lead the restructuring of the city’s arts agency and steward a series of initiatives including LUNA Fête, the Arts Council’s contemporary art and technology festival, and enabling artists to impact public space in innovative ways. Before joining the Arts Council, Stillman was Visiting Critic of Modern and Contemporary Art at the University of New Orleans. Prior to that, he was Managing Editor of BOMB magazine in New York. Between 2006-2007, Stillman curated eight exhibitions at PS1 Institute of Contemporary Art in New York, including the debut museum solo shows by Kalup Linzy, Amy Granat, and Joe Bradley as a member of the museum’s initial cohort of Curatorial Advisors. Stillman has been an active contributor to several publications, including Artforum, Flash Art, and Modern Painters.
Christopher J. Alfieri, President and Chairman, Board of Trustees
Christopher J. Alfieri is a partner in the law firm of Christovich & Kearney. He practices general and commercial defense litigation. He has worked extensively in matters involving art law, counseling artists, arts organizations, institutions, museums and non-profit corporations in Louisiana and elsewhere on a variety of legal issues involving governance, art commerce, artist rights, resale rights and restitution and repatriation. He is a founding Executive Board Member and Officer of Prospect New Orleans, having joined the board in 2007, prior to the opening of Prospect.1. He also served as President of the New Orleans Chapter of the Federal Bar Association in 2014/15, the largest FBA chapter in the U.S., established in 1937.
Allison Kendrick, Treasurer, Board of Trustees
Allison Kendrick served as First Assistant State Treasurer under Mary Landrieu’s First term and as President if the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency. She has served on the board of the Federal National Mortgage Association and on the nonprofit boards of the Newcomb Art Gallery, the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art for which she served as Chairman for four terms. She has served on the Prospect New Orleans board since 2016.
