Queens Museum Executive Director Laura Raicovich. Photo Courtesy of Queens Museum
After an exhaustive national search, the Queens Museum Board of Trustees last week named Laura Raicovich as the borough cultural institution’s new president and executive director.
Raicovich, 41, replaces long-time museum head Tom Finkelpearl, who earlier this year was appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio as the commissioner for the city Department of Cultural Affairs. She will assume her new position on Jan. 1, 2015.
“Laura has spent the past two decades strengthening arts institutions, realizing the visions of artists, and engaging diverse constituencies and we are excited that she will be leading the Queens Museum,” said Peter Meyer, chairman of the museum Board of Trustees. “Our shared philosophy on the future of the museum, belief in the power of the arts to exact positive change and dedication to making the arts relevant to all audiences made her the right person to move the museum forward.”
Raicovich comes to the museum from Creative Time, a nonprofit organization that commissions and presents public arts projects, where she has served as their director of global initiatives since 2012. Prior to that, she was the deputy director of the Dia Art Foundation, and held positions at the Guggenheim Museum, Public Art Fund and city Department of Parks and Recreation.
“With a successful expansion complete, strong and adventurous leadership over the past decade, and a well-deserved reputation as a model for community engagement, education, and outreach, the Queens Museum is in an enviable position, and I am honored to be selected as the new president and executive director,” said Raicovich. “Looking forward, pairing engagement and innovation with exceptional artistic production will allow the Queens Museum to occupy a unique place in the pantheon of cultural offerings in New York City, to become an international model and to serve all of Queens as a world-class art museum.”
Finkelpearl ran the museum for the past 12 years, overseeing an expansion that doubled the size of the institution.
“With his decades of experience in fortifying the city’s cultural institutions, Tom has developed a deep understanding of the powerful role art and culture play in moving our city forward, and the necessity of increasing access to our creative landmarks for all New Yorkers,” said de Blasio as he announced Finkelpearl’s DCA appointment back in April.
By Michael V. Cusenza
