Director, School of Art
DIRECTOR, SCHOOL OF ART
Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
THE SEARCH
The University of Arkansas, a public land-grant research university, seeks a forward-thinking, strategic, accessible and collaborative leader to serve as the Director of the School of Art (the School). Reporting to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Director will provide academic and administrative oversight of the School that includes Art Education, Art History, Ceramics, Drawing, Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture. This is an exciting opportunity to build on a strong history of excellence while creating a vision for the future of the School. The new Director will lead with an entrepreneurial lens and a focus on creating partnerships within the university, across Northwest Arkansas, and throughout the state. The School of Art aims to be amongst the top tier art programs across the country while serving as a leader in how an art education can be accessible to everyone. The Director will have a strong desire to work with faculty, staff, students, and external partners to help shape and drive the School’s next chapter.
Over the past 10 years, the School of Art has gone through significant evolution with the most dramatic transformation occurring in the past five years. The biggest change was growing from a Department of Art into the School of Art in fall 2017, made possible by a visionary gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. This is the largest gift ever given to a U.S. university to support or establish a school of art. The gift created the first and only accredited, collegiate school of art in the state of Arkansas with the goal of propelling art education and research in the state forward while also providing unparalleled access and opportunity to students. The new Director will be empowered to use the objectives of the endowment gift to drive progress within the School and maintain a strong relationship with the Foundation.
The next Director will take the lead in defining the future of the School, helping to advance and outline its standards of excellence, directions of growth, and multi-disciplinary connections. The Director will be responsible for the daily operation of the school and its programs, promoting excellence within the School and the University as well as overseeing strategic advancement in the areas of curriculum, technology, personnel, finances, and community relations. The Director will engage in student-focused initiatives, ensuring continued attention on students, both undergraduate and graduate. The School seeks a leader who will be grounded in best practices for art teaching and pedagogy while seeking to drive the field forward. An external advocate for the School, the Director will engage existing donors while cultivating new relationships. They will also be a presence on campus, known to faculty, staff and students and involved in the day-to-day functions of the School. Overall, the Director will be a transparent and clear communicator with the experience to oversee the administrative operations of the School and build on a culture of access and inclusion.
The University of Arkansas has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist with this search. Interested candidates must submit a letter of interest and a current resume or curriculum vitae to be considered for the position. All applicant information is subject to public disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. Confidential inquiries, nominations, and application materials should be directed to:
Ben Tobin, Partner
Kristen Andersen, Senior Associate
The University of Arkansas shall provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, familial status, disability, public assistance status, membership or activity in a local commission created for the purpose of dealing with discrimination, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
