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Christina Vassallo will soon be departing from her role as director of the Contemporary Arts Center, the board of directors announced on Dec. 8.
Vassallo will officially be stepping down from her position on Jan. 2, 2026. She’s leaving to become the executive director at the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage in Philadelphia.
“We are so grateful to Christina for her bold leadership and thoughtful direction of the CAC during this time,” CAC board presidents Emily Kokenge and Rick Michelman said in a statement. “She has played a pivotal role, guiding CAC during the building’s anniversary, creating partnerships with regional and local art organizations, strengthening the organization’s financial stability, and enhancing CAC’s reputation as a place to experience challenging and inspirational contemporary art.”
Vassallo joined CAC in March 2023. During her time at the arts center, Vassallo has made community engagement her priority. Her work has also been centered on “organizational sustainability,” growing the museum’s local and global connections, and honing in on a new artistic vision ahead of the institution’s 90th anniversary in 2029, per a press release.
During her tenure, Vassallo helped organize a series of programs and an exhibition, titled a “A Permanent Nostalgia for Departure,” for the 20th anniversary of the CAC’s Zaha Hadid-designed building. She also brought the traveling exhibition, “Jayson Musson: His History of Art,” to CAC and supported the development of solo exhibitions by Vivan Browne, Marcus Leslie Singleton, and Sheida Solemani.
Additionally, Vassallo, along with colleagues at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland, created and launched “Ohio Now,” a new, ongoing exhibition series that showcases artists from across the state.
“It has been an honor to shepherd CAC and be part of Cincinnati’s vibrant artistic legacy,” Vassallo said in the release. “I’m so proud of the exhibitions we’ve brought to the city, the strong partnerships we’ve forged with artists from around the world, and the steps we’ve taken to embrace a mission to develop a more empathetic world through the creation and experience of all contemporary art forms.”
The Contemporary Arts Center has tapped Boston-based executive search firm, Museum Search & Reference (MS&R) to find an interim director. MS&R specializes in recruiting senior leadership for museums, historic sites, and other cultural institutions.