WASHINGTON, DC.-Mrs. Jeanne Ruesch, Chairman of the Corcoran's Board of Trustees, announced the appointment of Paul Greenhalgh as Director and President of the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design. Greenhalgh is a world-renowned scholar and former Head of Research at London’s Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum, one of the most internationally recognized museums. Most recently, he served as President of NSCAD University (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design). As Director and President of the Corcoran, he will oversee the oldest private art museum and oldest art college in the nation’s capital.

“On behalf of the Corcoran's Board of Trustees, I am delighted to announce Paul Greenhalgh has accepted the position as Director and President of the Corcoran,” said Chairman Jeanne Ruesch. “During the six-month search process, we reviewed many well-qualified candidates and Paul naturally ascended to the top of the group as an accomplished leader, visionary, administrator, scholar, curator and educator. He has a true passion for and deep understanding of the Corcoran’s two cornerstones – the museum and the college. It became evident very quickly that Paul clearly demonstrates all the necessary characteristics to complement the Corcoran’s present programs and address the institution’s future.”

Ruesch continued: “Paul is an engaging, dynamic, inspiring, creative and successful individual. I look forward to working closely with him as we plan strategically for the Corcoran’s next chapter.”

For the past five years, Mr. Greenhalgh served as President of NSCAD University, Canada’s principle degree-granting art and design institution. The institution of more than 1,000 full-time and part-time students offers competitive undergraduate programs in fine arts, craft and art history, a film school and two graduate degree programs.

Greenhalgh has been a driving force behind several major milestones at NSCAD. In his five-year tenure, he successfully:

* Managed a significant campus expansion including the development of a third campus on the revitalized Halifax seawall to house the institution’s large-scale production programs, including sculpture, metalwork, ceramics and glass

* Led strategic planning efforts to clarify the institution’s mission and address the university’s academic programs, finances, recruitment and facilities

* Developed and implemented new undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including one of the few degree-granting film programs in Canada

* Increased student enrollment from roughly 600 to 1,000 in just five years by recruiting award-winning faculty, implementing updated academic programs, instituting a grass-roots recruitment campaign and securing state-of-the-art facilities. NSCAD is the university with the most number of applications in Canada’s Atlantic region

* Established world-class communications and fundraising departments, securing significant funding for the campus expansion efforts

"During Paul's tenure at NSCAD, he made great strides in raising the institution's profile, putting strategic plans in place, increasing our recruiting efforts and enrollment numbers and improving fundraising infrastructure and results. His presence will be greatly missed," said Van Penick, NSCAD Board Chairman.

Before joining NSCAD University, Greenhalgh was Head of Research at London’s Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum, the largest museum of fine, decorative art and design in the world. He was responsible for all aspects of the museum’s research efforts and was centrally involved in exhibitions, publications and gallery development.

As one of his most celebrated accomplishments, Greenhalgh curated the worldwide V&A traveling exhibition, Art Nouveau: 1890-1914, a survey show which showcased objects from the first period of modern style and redefined and repositioned it in the history of decorative arts. The exhibition was seen by more than one million visitors from London to Washington D.C. and Tokyo, Japan.

“Paul’s curatorial and educational expertise provides him with the perfect background to serve as Director and President of the Corcoran’s museum and college,” said Paul Corddry, head of the Corcoran’s Executive Search Committee. “He curated the most successful exhibition the V&A has ever put together and transformed NSCAD with sound fiscal management and creative vision – he’s truly the ideal candidate for our institution.”

Greenhalgh's previous posts include working as a tutor at the Royal College of Art, a lectureship at the Cardiff Institute, Head of Art History at London’s renowned Camberwell College of Arts and Deputy Curator of Ceramics and Glass at the V&A. He has been a distinguished visitor to arts institutions, museums and universities around the world and an official advisor to numerous public bodies in Europe and North America.

In addition to his visual arts and education career positions, Greenhalgh also spends significant time as a working scholar in his chosen field of fine and decorative arts. He has researched and written seven arts and culture books over the past 17 years, including the most recent, The Modern Ideal: The Rise and Collapse of Idealism in Visual Arts from the Enlightenment to Post Modernism, published and released in October 2005.

“I am very proud to have been chosen for such a prestigious post at the Corcoran and am extremely excited to be part of a museum and college partnership with such a treasured history and potential for the future,” said Greenhalgh. “I have a deep love for visual arts and education, and being given the opportunity to lead both a museum and college is truly an honor for me.”

A native of England, Mr. Greenhalgh earned a master’s degree in art history from University of London Courtauld Institute in 1980 and an undergraduate degree with honors in fine art and art history from the University of Reading in 1978.

The international search for the Corcoran’s Director and President was conducted by Spencer Stuart. Mr. Greenhalgh will take up his position at the Corcoran in early 2006.