The Tufts arts community gained a new member earlier last month, who plans to raise the profile of Tufts' arts exhibits.
A search committee for a new director of the galleries in the Aidekman Arts Center appointed former curator Amy Schlegal in December after a year-long search.
"We were looking for someone who could work with others in art at Tufts to make the arts more visible here," said Susan Ernst, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. "We were excited about Amy from the start and she quickly became, without question, our first choice."
Ernst also cited Schlegal's "excellent credentials, her vision for the galleries, and her connection to the academic arena" as the strengths that gained her the position.
The search committee included faculty members from various departments and was chaired by Kevin Dunn, Dean of Academic Affairs for the College of Arts and Sciences.
Schlegal, who holds a doctoral degree in art history from the University of Chicago, is the former curator of the Philadelphia Art Alliance and has more than 17 years of experience as an art historian and scholar, curator and arts administrator. She has also served as curatorial assistant at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and director's assistant of the DeLaurenti Gallery in New York City.
Schlegal also previously taught at Columbia University and the University of Vermont.
Her work has been published in numerous art and scholarly publications and has received many fellowships and grants, including a technical assistance grant from the Pew Fellowships for the Arts.
"[Tufts does] not have much of a profile compared to other schools and museums," Schlegal said. "What I hope to do is originate more of our own exhibitions rather than continuing to simply employ traveling ones."
At this point in her career, Schlegal has coordinated 65 exhibits.
"Right now I don't believe most people here know how much is being offered to the community," she said. She hopes the galleries will be "talked about by students from all disciplines [and] for visiting the galleries to be considered something to do on a Wednesday night, as a boon to their education and an enhancement to their time here."
Schlegal is attempting to reach out to other departments and the University. She said she wants to work with the University's Drama and Dance Department to organize speeches and exhibits. She will also hold an adjunct faculty position in the Department of Art and Art History.
"She has a keen interest in combining her breadth of experience as a curator with museum studies and teaching, and she will play a key role in shaping Tufts' permanent collection of art," Ernst said.
The Aidekman Arts Galleries include the Tisch Gallery, Koppelman Gallery, Slater Concourse Gallery and the Remis Sculpture Court. Schlegal is taking over for Interim Director Doug Bell, who followed Director Susan Masuoka
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