PROVIDENCE – Hope Alswang has resigned as director of the Rhode Island School of Design’s Musuem of Art to “pursue other opportunities,” the school announced today.
The resignation comes as the museum closes to the public for August due to budget cutbacks at RISD that included layoffs. The school’s board of trustees voted in May to keep the annual budget flat at $124 million for this fiscal year because RISD’s endowment has plunged in value.
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The RISD press release on Alswang’s resignation, effective today, did not mention the museum closure.
“We at RISD are grateful for all that Hope accomplished during her tenure here – from increased Museum visitation to the restoration of Museum buildings and her leadership in the community,” said John Maeda, RISD president. “We wish her all of the best as she continues her distinguished career.”
RISD said Ann Woolsey, assistant director for planning, started serving as interim director today.
Alswang was appointed museum director nearly four years ago, and RISD credited her today for increasing museum attendance to a record high of 150,000 visits last year. During her tenure, Alswang also oversaw the construction of the 43,000-square-foot Chace Center.
“While the Providence community, museum staff, Board of Governors and I are very sad to see Hope Alswang leave the RISD Museum, we are thankful that Ann Woolsey has agreed to serve as the Museum’s interim director,” said Arnold-Peter Weiss, RISD trustee and chairman of the museum’s board of governors. “Woolsey has more than a decade of experience at the RISD Museum and will be able to provide continuity to the museum’s mission and focus. We hope to build on the great advances that the Museum has enjoyed over the last few years.”
After serving as a curator in the Painting and Sculpture Department from 1988-1997, Woolsey left the museum, and then returned in 2004 to help in the planning and construction of the Chace Center. As assistant director for planning, Woolsey also secured a $600,000 Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for the renovation of the permanent collection galleries in the Radeke building, the first two phases of which were completed in 2008.
The RISD Museum of Art was founded as part of the Rhode Island School of Design in 1877. It’s permanent collection of more than 84,000 objects includes paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, costume, furniture and other works of art from across the globe.
Additional information on the Rhode Island School of Design is available at RISD.edu.
