Woodmere Art Museum Director Steps Down

WOODMERE ART MUSEUM DIRECTOR ANNOUNCES HE 

WILL STEP DOWN AT END OF YEAR

One of Longest-Serving Museum Directors in Region Helped Transform Museum From Volunteer 

Art Center To Fine Art Museum Featuring Works by Philadelphia Artists

Michael Schantz Leaves Museum Poised To Expand, With New Wing Designed by 

Architects Venturi, Scott Brown Associates.

Philadelphia, PA (September 1, 2009) --- After 28 years of distinguished service, Dr. Michael W. Schantz, Director and Chief Executive Officer of Woodmere Art Museum, has announced he will step down from his position, effective December 31, 2009.

The Board of Trustees will begin a search for his successor.

Under Dr. Schantz’s leadership – one of the longest of any museum director in the region – the Woodmere Art Museum transformed itself from a largely volunteer-run art center into a professionally managed, vital, community-based fine art museum. During Dr. Schantz’s tenure, Woodmere emerged as the region’s only museum dedicated exclusively to Philadelphia artists.

“Michael has done a fabulous job for Woodmere, and, in many ways, Woodmere is Michael Schantz,” said Board president Dianne Meyer. “We will miss him.”

“Having spent nearly three decades at the Woodmere, the decision to step down was not one made lightly,” Dr. Schantz said. “But with the groundwork laid and the Museum poised to begin an important new chapter, this is an opportune time to pass the reins to the Museum’s next leader. The Museum is in capable hands with the stewardship of the Board and the professionalism of the employees.”

Contemporary Voices: 70th Annual Juried Exhibition

January 23-March 14, 2010

Woodmere Art Museum’s mission to support the arts of Philadelphia is realized, in part, through its annual Juried Exhibition. This, our 70th juried show, highlights a wide variety of contemporary artists in Philadelphia. Our juror, Michael Schantz, the out-going CEO and Director of Woodmere, selected 125 works by 112 artists out of a pool of over 400. A juror, selected as an expert in the arts, reviews all the submissions and decides who is in the exhibit and who is not. Michael has a strong passion for the arts. He has spent decades viewing art, mounting contemporary exhibitions, and immersing himself in the Philadelphia arts community.

Artists have not always been eager to have their work seen and evaluated either by a professional jury or by the public. For several centuries, artists were primarily concerned with pleasing their patrons. Exhibitions, so common an occurrence in today’s world, are actually a fairly new phenomenon and juried exhibitions, even more so. The first juried exhibition was held at the French Academy in the 1730s. Judged by academics, only a select few works were allowed in. The public had a...