After eight years at the helm of the Dallas Museum of Art, will step down at the end of December, the museum announced on Monday.
Since arriving in 2016, Arteaga has led the DMA through challenges including the coronavirus pandemic, which the museum for several months, and a that resulted in the destruction of several artworks. Last fall, the museum laid off 20 employees and reduced its public hours, difficulties brought on by the pandemic.
During his tenure, Arteaga increased the diversity of the museum鈥檚 visitors and its board of trustees, according to a museum press release. As part of its efforts to reach new and more diverse audiences, the museum launched a bilingual initiative in 2017 that made exhibition materials available in English and Spanish.
The museum in city bonds this year to improve related to temperature and humidity controls and its fire suppression system. Arteaga has also overseen a capital campaign that will fund a major expansion of the museum.
鈥淎s the museum embarks on an and capital campaign, and considering the significant progress that has been made during my eight years of leading the DMA, working in collaboration with our staff and Board, driven by my passion for art and a strong sense of purpose to serve, I feel it鈥檚 the right time to transition and focus on pursuing these passions as a museum leader, curator and scholar,鈥� Arteaga said in a statement.
鈥淔ollowing an extraordinary response to our , 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 multi-year project to fruition and lead the DMA into the future.鈥�
Arteaga came to Dallas from Mexico City鈥檚 Museo Nacional de Arte, where he had served as director since 2013.
The DMA鈥檚 board of trustees will start a search for his successor. Tamara Wootton Forsyth, the museum鈥檚 deputy director, will serve as the interim director.
鈥淲e are grateful to Agust铆n for his many contributions to the Dallas Museum of Art, especially during a time of unprecedented challenges,鈥� Gowri Sharma, the chair of the museum鈥檚 board of trustees, said in a statement. 鈥淲ith a long list of curatorial and programmatic achievements and having put in place a talented leadership team, he is leaving the museum in a position of strength as we look to the next chapter in the Museum鈥檚 trajectory.鈥�
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