Andria Derstine Appointed Virginia N. and Randall J. Barbato Deputy Director and Chief Curator at the Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, OH (September 9, 2024)—Following a robust international search, the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) today announces the appointment of Andria Derstine as Virginia N. and Randall J. Barbato Deputy Director and Chief Curator.

As chief curator, Derstine will oversee the work of approximately 20 curators and work closely with the director, curators, and museum leadership team to strengthen the CMA’s celebrated permanent collection and expand its nationally recognized program of exhibitions and related programs. In addition, she will supervise the Conservation Department, Department of Collections Management, and the Ingalls Library and Museum Archives, as well as the Department of Performing Arts, Music and Film. Derstine will work closely with Chief Learning Officer Jacquelyn Sawyer, collaborating on both the interpretation of the museum’s collection and the institution’s long-standing joint program in art history with Case Western Reserve University.

Derstine has extensive museum experience, including more than 18 years at the Allen Memorial Art Museum (AMAM) at Oberlin College, where she currently serves as the John G. W. Cowles Director, responsible for the care and growth of a collection of more than 16,000 works spanning six millennia. Prior to becoming director of the AMAM, she was the museum’s curator of European and American art. Earlier in her career she was assistant curator of European art at the Detroit Institute of Arts, and she held volunteer positions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Fogg Art Museum. In addition to her museum management history, Derstine has experience in management consulting and in the financial sector.

“Andria’s curatorial and scholarly depth, coupled with her leadership and management experience, made her an outstanding candidate for this important role,” said William M. Griswold, CMA director and president. “I’ve known and admired her work for a long time, and I am delighted that, at the conclusion of an international search, we found our next deputy director and chief curator right here in Northeast Ohio.”

Derstine holds a PhD from New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts, a BA from Harvard University, and a Certificate in Executive Education from Columbia Business School achieved through the Center for Curatorial Leadership. An accomplished author, Derstine has numerous publications to her name, including, as a co-author, catalogues of the Italian Baroque paintings at the Detroit Institute of Arts and of highlights of the collection at the Allen Memorial Art Museum. She is also a board member of the Association of Art Museum Directors.

“The Cleveland Museum of Art is one of the finest museums in the world and has inspired me since my first visit more than 20 years ago,” Derstine stated. “I am delighted to be joining its talented staff, who are united in their mission to serve the public through exceptional experiences with art.”

Derstine fills a role previously held by Heather Lemonedes Brown, who made the decision earlier this year to focus exclusively on her curatorial work, becoming the CMA’s Paul J. and Edith Ingalls Vignos Jr. Curator of Modern European Art. Since then, chief curatorial responsibilities have been shared by Seth Pevnick, curator of Greek and Roman art, and Sarah Scaturro, Eric and Jane Nord Chief Conservator as interim co-chief curators. 

Derstine’s first day at the CMA will be December 2, 2024.

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About the Cleveland Museum of Art

The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 63,000 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The museum is a significant international forum for exhibitions, scholarship, and performing arts and is a leader in digital innovations. One of the top comprehensive art museums in the nation, recognized for its award-winning open access program and free of charge to all, the Cleveland Museum of Art is located in the University Circle neighborhood.

The museum is supported in part by residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture and made possible in part by the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts. The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. For more information about the museum and its holdings, programs, and events, call 888-CMA-0033 or visit cma.org.