Project Row Houses (PRH) has announced the promotion of Danielle Burns Wilson to the position of Executive Director. Ms. Wilson has served as the Interim Executive Director since October 2023, following the tenure of the organization’s former Executive Director, Eureka Gilkey
In a press release, Phillip Pyle, II, President of the Board of Directors, remarked, “Danielle’s dedication to the art community and championing Third Ward align perfectly with Project Row Houses’ values. We are confident that under her leadership, Project Row Houses will continue to thrive as a beacon of creativity.”
Danielle Burns Wilson. Photo by Emile C. Browne.
Prior to stepping into the interim leadership position, Ms. Wilson held the position of Curator & Art Director since 2021. In 2022, Ms. Wilson created the Southern Survey Biennial, to highlight contemporary visual artists working in the Southern U.S. In 2023, she created The Founders Round, as a tribute to the seven Black artists who founded PRH in 1993. A spokesperson for PRH told Glasstire that as Interim Executive Director, Ms. Wilson “demonstrated not only a commitment to the strategic vision, but also the capacity to keep operations on track at the tactical level.”
Before joining PRH, from 2009 to 2021 she was the Curator and Manager of the African American Library at The Gregory School, and from 2010 to 2012 was the Curator at the Houston Museum of African American Culture. Ms. Wilson has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Lone Star College since 2010. She holds an MA in Art History from the City University of New York, Brooklyn College, and a BA in History and Political Science from Prairie View A&M University.
Ms. Wilson commented, “Project Row Houses has been a touchstone for me throughout my career. I cannot express how honored I am by the Board’s belief in my leadership, and how humbling it is to step into a leadership role of an organization that is respected and beloved by artists and audiences around the world and right here on Holman Street.”
As Ms. Wilson steps into her new role, Cydney Pickens, who has served as the Assistant Curator & Programming Manager, will step into the Curator position. Ms. Wilson and Ms. Pickens will work closely together and PRH will continue to engage guest curators for Artist Rounds and additional programs.
