AUSTIN, TX.- Kathleen Loughlin, President of the Board of Trustees of The Contemporary Austin announced today that Louis Grachos, the museum's Ernest and Sarah Butler Executive Director and CEO since 2013, will step down from his position. Grachos will begin a new position as Executive Director and CEO of the Palm Springs Art Museum in June 2019. Margie Rine, currently serving as the museum's Deputy Director, will act as Interim Director until new leadership is named.

"It is with a mix of sadness and gratitude that the Board of Trustees makes this announcement," said Loughlin. "Louis' eye for exciting contemporary art, along with his passion and curiosity about the artists of our time, is unrivaled. Thanks to his vision and leadership, The Contemporary Austin has become a strong institution with ambitious programming. His impact on Austin and how the City experiences and views contemporary art will be remembered for years to come."

Since 2013, Grachos has skillfully directed the rebranding of The Contemporary Austin and grown its two locations: The Contemporary Austin - Jones Center in downtown Austin and The Contemporary Austin - Laguna Gloria, a 14-acre art-in-nature site on the shore of Lake Austin five miles from the city center.

Among his major accomplishments during his tenure at The Contemporary Austin, Grachos:

• Secured a $9 million grant from the Edward and Betty Marcus Foundation to develop the Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park at Laguna Gloria, infusing new life into this beloved art-in-nature site.

• Spearheaded a dynamic outdoor sculpture program, bringing works by preeminent international artists to the site, where there are now 26 outdoor sculptures on view. In addition, through the Museum Without Walls program, he brought sculptures to city parks and other locations throughout Austin, including Ai Weiwei's dramatic sculpture Forever Bicycles, 2014.

• Launched a comprehensive master plan to restore Laguna Gloria's historic grounds, making it more accessible, visitor friendly, and ecologically responsible.

• Completed Phase I of the Laguna Gloria master plan. On May 11, the museum will invite the public to celebrate the completion of Phase I of this master plan. This includes architectural solutions that offer robust amenities presently unavailable at the site, including an arrival garden, retail space, outdoor café, and extended canopies providing shaded areas for guests, along with a colorful sculptural installation commissioned from artist Jessica Stockholder. Phase I also includes widespread and ongoing invasive species removal and shoreline restoration.

• Led the renovation and expansion of The Contemporary Austin - Jones Center in 2016, bringing the museum's total exhibition space to nearly 8,000 square feet.

• Launched the Suzanne Deal Booth Art Prize in 2016, later negotiating the growth of the Prize into the Suzanne Deal Booth / FLAG Art Foundation Prize, a $200,000 unrestricted award that is among the largest art prizes in the world.

• Worked with his staff to develop a strong, international exhibitions program and build a calendar of creative and thoughtful public programs including film series, artist lectures, and performances.

"With the completion of Phase I of the Laguna Gloria project, the second Art Prize exhibition opening in January, and our program of exhibitions recognized nationally and internationally for its depth and vision, I feel that The Contemporary is on very solid footing as it enters the next phase of its development as a key destination for contemporary art," Grachos said. "I am proud of what The Contemporary Austin now brings to this city. With a strong, creative, and dedicated Board of Trustees and an outstanding professional staff leading the institution forward, I know that it will continue to be a source of pride for Austin and a leader in the field of contemporary art for generations."

Loughlin will form a committee soon to launch an international search for a new Executive Director and CEO for the museum.

Loughlin continued, "The Board of Trustees is grateful to Louis for the dedication and enthusiasm he brought to The Contemporary Austin, to its staff, and to the broader arts community over the past seven years. He is leaving the organization stronger than it has ever been. I have the greatest confidence in our Board of Trustees and in our incredible staff to steer the institution forward through its next stages of growth."