Lucia Simek has built a notable reputation as a writer, artist, curator and programmer in the Dallas art scene for over two decades. Now, she’ll officially be taking over the top role at one of the most prominent contemporary art spaces in the city. .
Dallas Contemporary named Simek as the executive director on Tuesday. Simek has been serving as interim executive director since July. After conducting a national search, the board selected Simek for the job, citing her years of experience.
“This is a funny, natural sort of step into another way of being and overseeing a kind of family,” she said.
Simek began working at DC in 2022 under Caroline Alvarez-Mathies, the former executive director. She first served as director of external affairs, then as deputy director overseeing public programs, publications and education. Last year, Simek took over as interim director when Alvarez-Mathies announced she was stepping down.
Simek had a similar start to Alvarez-Mathies, who served as director of external affairs with the New York-based public arts non-profit, Creative Time, and later joined DC as deputy director in December 2019. Before working at DC, Simek was in charge of communications and international programs at the Nasher Sculpture Center for eight years.
During her time at DC, Simek created new programs including DC Empty, which allows different regional artists and collaborators to utilize unused gallery spaces in the museum.
“Her leadership will guide our nearly 50-year-old museum into the next half-century with determined focus and innovation.” Rod Sager, co-chair of DC’s board, said in a statement.
Simek has worked closely with notable curators like Alison Gingeras, Rafael Barrientos Martinez and writer Su Wu. She also established the Dallas Contemporary North Texas Graduate Program, which offers mentorship and institutional connections between North Texas MFA students in their final year of grad school.
“I'm most proud and happy about how we've sort of opened the doors really wide for the public of North Texas,” Simek said. “Just really continuing to engage with our local community so that they feel like this is their museum.”
DC plans to hire a director of development to help with fundraising and stabilize the company financially. Simek said she’ll continue to manage some of the deputy director responsibilities in her new role.
“We have the privilege of being an art space that can be really nimble and constantly be scanning the contemporary art landscape to find what to do next,” she said.
Simek received an MFA in sculpture from Texas Christian University and has exhibited her work internationally.
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