Agustín Arteaga, the long-serving director of the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), announced on Monday that he will step down at the end of 2024 after eight years at the job.
Arteaga, who joined the DMA in 2016, has guided the museum through many challenges, including closures from COVID-19, a major break-in in at the museum in 2022 and staff layoffs in 2023.
Under Artega’s guidance, the DMA says that it has greatly expanded overall engagement and impact in the community. In a recent press release, the museum cited Arteaga’s success in implementing new initiatives like a bilingual exhibition program in 2017, which aimed at broadening access for Spanish-speaking visitors.
Arteaga’s tenure also included securing ample funding for the museum, including $20 million in city bonds earlier this year, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Reflecting on his time at the DMA, Arteaga expressed a sense of fulfillment in helping the museum lay the groundwork for it’s future.
“Following an extraordinary response to our international architecture competition to reimagine the DMA, we have now laid the foundation to transform the Museum into one of the most exciting, engaging and visitor-friendly art museums in the world. With this groundwork in place, it is the right moment to hand the reins to the next leader, who will see this monumental multiyear project to fruition and lead the DMA into the future.” Arteaga said in a statement.
The museum’s board of trustees will now embark on a search for Arteaga’s successor. In the interim, the DMA says that Deputy Director Tamara Wootton Forsyth will assume the role of acting director. In 2018, Arteaga appointed Forsyth as Deputy Director, a role she has held after serving in various positions at the DMA over the past 23 years.
Gowri Sharma, chair of the DMA board expressed gratitude for Arteaga’s accomplishments, saying, “he is leaving the Museum in a position of strength as we look to the next chapter in the Museum’s trajectory. Our Board looks forward to working with the next leader of the DMA, along with our staff, donors and City partners, to realize the vision created under Agustín’s leadership.”