The Dallas Contemporary (DC) has announced that Carolina Alvarez-Mathies has resigned from her position as Executive Director of the museum effective immediately. Ms. Alvarez-Mathies will assist with the transition through September 30, with Lucia Simek, Deputy Director, as Interim Executive Director.
Carolina Alvarez-Mathies, photo: Roger Gallegos
Ms. Alvarez-Mathies joined the DC in 2019 in the role of Deputy Director and was later promoted to Executive Director in 2022, following the departure of Peter Doroshenko. Under her leadership, the museum deepened audience engagement, broke fundraising records, and developed new partnerships and initiatives. In a press release, Ms. Alvarez-Mathies remarked, “I couldn’t be more proud of everything that our organization has accomplished over the last few years. Dallas Contemporary has driven engagement with the public to new heights, initiating boundary-breaking programs and partnerships to rethink what a museum can be.”
Ms. Alvarez-Mathies is stepping down to join OMR, a contemporary gallery in Mexico City. She will serve as OMR’s Senior Director of Institutional Relations and the first Artistic Director of LagoAlgo, a cultural center co-founded by OMR and Corporación Mexicana de Restaurantes (CMR).
Cliff Risman, DC’s Board Chair, on behalf of the board of directors, stated, “We would like to thank Carolina for her energetic leadership and tireless efforts to evaluate Dallas Contemporary in the local, national, and international art community… We are excited to bring Lucia on as Interim Executive Director. Already a member of the Dallas Contemporary family, and an integral part of the Dallas art scene for the past two decades, Lucia has a keen understanding of our goals as an institution and a passionate belief in our mission.”
Lucia Simek, photo: Nan Coulter
Ms. Simek joined the DC as Director of External Affairs in September 2022 and in 2023 was promoted to Deputy Director. In this role she has overseen curatorial affairs and public programs, launching initiatives such as DC PERFORMANCE, a program that showcases innovative performance artists, and DC EMPTY, a series that activates vacant gallery spaces with short-term projects by regional time-based media artists. She has also been a leading force behind creative partnerships with organizations such as Sweet Pass Sculpture Park, Verdigris Ensemble, and Bombshell Dance Project. Previously she served as the Senior Manager of Communications and International Programs at the Nasher Sculpture Center (2014 – 2022) and wrote for Glasstire from 2010 to 2014.
When asked about the DC’s plans regarding a search for a new Executive Director, a spokesperson for the organization told Glasstire, “Lucia Simek will assume the position of Executive Director while the organization thoughtfully assesses its future plans.”
