Miami, Feb. 5, 2024 – Miami Dade College (MDC) welcomes Dr. Amy Galpin as the new Executive Director of its Museum of Art and Design (MOAD), the College’s flagship museum.
“I am thrilled to lead MOAD at this exciting time. Drawing on my 20 years of experience working with different art organizations and museums, I am confident I can contribute to raising the profile of the institution and enhancing the accessibility of its programs and collections,” said Dr. Galpin. “I look forward to working with Miami Dade College’s team to create a dynamic cultural hub for MDC students and our city.”
Dr. Galpin specializes in modern and contemporary art of the Americas. She joins MOAD after serving as chief curator of the Frost Art Museum at Florida International University. Previously, she served as the curator of Rollins Museum of Art and associate curator, Art of the Americas, at the San Diego Museum of Art.
At the Frost Art Museum, she curated group exhibitions, such as In the Mind’s Eye: Landscapes of Cuba and Cut: Abstraction in the U.S. from the 1970s to the Present, and solo projects with artists Rafael Soldi, Liu Shiyuan and Peggy Levison Nolan, among others. At Rollins, she organized solo exhibitions with Patrick Martínez, Jamilah Sabur and Jess T. Dugan, and curated the group exhibition, Displacement: Symbols and Journeys. At both institutions, she engaged enthusiastically with students and faculty on varied initiatives, including curating exhibitions, and taught courses on modern and contemporary art, as well as museum studies.
Other significant projects include: Translating Revolution: U.S. Artists Interpret Mexican Muralism (National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago, 2010); Behold, America: Art of the U.S. (San Diego Museum of Art, Timken Museum of Art, and MCASD, 2012); and Picturing Mexico: Alfredo Ramos Martínez (Pasadena Museum of California Art, traveled to the Nevada Museum of Art, 2014).
Dr. Galpin has a track record of community engagement in Miami, having collaborated with partners such as the Miami-Dade Public Libraries and Oolite Arts, where she guest-curated exhibitions. She remains committed to researching the artists who live and work in this region.
“Everyone who knows Amy can attest to her professionalism, expertise in the art field and passion for the unique mission and possibilities of the academic museum. We are fortunate to count on Amy to lead the charge as MOAD begins a new chapter,” said María Carla Chicuén, MDC’s Executive Director for Cultural Affairs. “Her leadership will be instrumental as MDC continues to elevate its role in the visual arts.”
Dr. Galpin will oversee all museum operations and activities while nurturing relationships with established and emerging community members, sponsors, donors and the greater Miami visual arts community. She will also oversee the MDC Special Collections and the Kislak Center.
“Miami Dade College has served as a leader in arts and culture for over 40 years, and we are incredibly proud of this mission,” said Dr. Maryam Laguna Borrego, MDC’s Vice President for External Affairs & Strategy and Chief of Staff. “As we welcome Amy as the new Executive Director of MOAD, we look forward to continuing a trajectory of excellence in the development of programs and activations that serve the community by providing world-class visual arts.”
About Miami Dade College’s Museum of Art and Design
MOAD offers groundbreaking exhibitions and programs that aim to foster a reimagined Miami. Exploring the challenges and opportunities we face locally and globally, MOAD convenes artists, designers and thinkers to address the urgent questions of our time. As the flagship museum of Miami Dade College, MOAD strives to be a catalyst for action and a place that empowers people to remake their city.
MOAD Media Contact: Jennifer Weinberg, MOAD Marketing and Membership Manager, (305) 237-7710, jweinbe1@mdc.edu.
MOAD’s programs are made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor, and Board of County Commissioners. They are sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Miami Dade College is an equal access/equal opportunity institution which does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, marital status, age, religion, national origin, disability, veteran’s status, ethnicity, pregnancy, sexual orientation, or genetic information. To obtain more information about the College’s equal access and equal opportunity policies, procedures, and practices, please contact the College’s Equity Officer: Cindy Lau Evans, Director, Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, and ADA Coordinator, 11011 SW 104 Street, Room 1102-01, Miami, FL 33176, (305) 237-2577 (Voice) or 711 (Relay Service), EquityOff@mdc.edu.
Miami Dade College is committed to ensuring the accessibility and usability of digital communications by all users and/or recipients, regardless of technology or access method. To ensure accessibility, the College strives to adhere to the standards established by Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Levels A and AA standards.