Submitted photo . . .
Anastasia James has been appointed director of the Butler Institute of American Art.
YOUNGSTOWN — The director of galleries and public art at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is the new director of the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown.
The Butler board approved the hiring of Anastasia James at its meeting Thursday. Search and executive committees, led by board member Tom Humphries and Interim Executive Director Larry Jones, unanimously selected James for the leadership position.
Ryan Martino, president of the Butler Institute Board of Trustees, said in a news release, “Anastasia stood out for her vision, collaborative leadership style and deep understanding of the important role museums play within their communities. She brings exceptional experience in strategic planning, public engagement and institutional growth, while also recognizing and respecting the Butler’s extraordinary history and reputation.”
James is a nationally recognized museum executive, curator and cultural strategist with nearly two decades of leadership experience.
With the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, she oversaw multiple exhibition spaces and a major public art program within Pittsburgh’s nationally recognized Cultural District. Under James’ leadership, the trust expanded its public art initiatives, strengthened national partnerships and advanced accessibility and community engagement efforts.
Her career also includes leadership and curatorial roles with the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, the Queens Museum and the Andy Warhol Museum.
James said in the news release, “The Butler is not only one of the most historically important museums dedicated to American art, it is also a deeply beloved institution that has shaped generations of artists, scholars, and visitors, myself included. I believe profoundly in the importance of museums as civic spaces — places where communities gather, where history and imagination meet, and where we can better understand ourselves and one another through art.”
A native of Pittsburgh, James earned a Master of Arts degree in Curatorial Studies from Bard College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History and Museum Studies from Chatham College for Women.
James succeeds Louis A. Zona, who led the Butler for more than four decades and helped transform the museum into an internationally recognized institution. During his tenure, the Butler expanded its permanent collection, strengthened educational programming and solidified its standing as one of the foremost authorities on American art.
The board expressed its appreciation to Zona for his decades of visionary leadership and continued service to the institution as director emeritus.
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