The Dallas Contemporary has announced the promotions of Lucia Simek, from Director of External Affairs to Deputy Director, and Emily Edwards, from Assistant Curator to Associate Curator.
In a press release, Carolina Alvarez-Mathies, Executive Director of DC, said, “In the past year, the Dallas Contemporary team and I have endeavored to work more collaboratively with the city of which we’re lucky to be a part. As we’ve welcomed artists and performers into our space, we’ve seen our attendance numbers grow and our community relationships in various sectors begin to flourish, in no small part due to the creative work of Emily Edwards and Lucia Simek. ”
Lucia Simek. Photo: Nan Coulter.
Just last fall, DC appointed Ms. Simek to the newly established position of Director of External Affairs; she had previously served as the Senior Manager of Communications and International Programs at the Nasher Sculpture Center. A few months after joining the DC, she launched DC EMPTY, a time-based programming series that both expands the museum’s curatorial goals to include performance, and connects the organization to regional artists. Additionally, Ms. Simek has worked to refine the museum’s mission, cultivate community partnerships, and reimagine the organization’s visitor service team.
In her role as Deputy Director, Ms. Simek will continue to oversee the DC’s curatorial and public programs, partnerships, and visitor services. Additionally, she will rebuild the museum’s educational initiatives and staff. Ms. Simek will also continue to work with Ms. Alvarez-Mathies to develop strategic goals for the DC.
Emily Edwards
Emily Edwards has been a part of the DC team since 2018, and for the last three years she has served as Assistant Curator. During her time at DC, Ms. Edwards has overseen the installation of over 30 exhibitions at the museum, with her curatorial vision focusing on themes of political and social trauma. She has also organized solo exhibitions of work by artists Gabrielle Goliath, Natalie Wadlington, Shilpa Gupta, Ariel Rene Jackson, and Margarita Cabrera.
In the role of Associate Curator, Ms. Edwards will continue to work with adjunct curators Pedro Alonzo and Alison Gingeras to develop the museum’s exhibition calendar. She holds a BFA in Art History from the University of Texas at Austin and an MA in Art History and Museum Studies from Georgetown University. Recently, Ms. Edwards received the 2023 ICI (Independent Curators International) Étant Donneés Contemporary Art Curatorial Fellowship for her work on the DC’s upcoming fall exhibition Bianca Bondi: A Preservation Method. Also this fall, she will mount the first museum presentation of the work of New York-based Texan-native, Chloe Chiasson.
