PHILADELPHIA, PA.- The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage announced today the appointment of Christina Vassallo as its new executive director, effective January 5.

As the former executive director of Philadelphia’s Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM), and most recently the Alice & Harris Weston Director of the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) in Cincinnati, Vassallo brings more than 15 years of dynamic and visionary leadership experience to the Center. In her new role, she will lead the development, evolution, and implementation of the Center’s grantmaking and community-building strategy, working with staff to enhance the visibility of grantees and deepen connections across the Philadelphia region’s cultural sector.

Vassallo has served at the CAC since March 2023, leading a strategic planning process that established new institutional priorities centered on community engagement, organizational sustainability, the museum’s local and global connections, and a new artistic vision to guide the organization into its 90th anniversary.

With her appointment to the Center, Vassallo makes her return to Greater Philadelphia, where she led FWM from 2020 to 2023. There, she oversaw an ambitious slate of residencies and culminating exhibitions by Samara Golden, Jonathan Lyndon Chase, Jayson Musson, Rose B. Simpson, and Henry Taylor; launched a permanent collection care plan; and advocated for the region’s cultural sector when city and state funding were threatened during the COVID-related shutdowns. Her leadership at FWM was supported by her participation as a Marshall Memorial Fellow of the German Marshall Fund and as a member of National Arts Strategies’ Chief Executive Program. Additionally, she was appointed as a member of the City of Philadelphia’s Arts & Culture Task Force, which developed policy and budgetary recommendations to address the economic impact of the pandemic.

“What draws me to The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage is its dual identity as both a grantmaker and a hub for ideas, championing ambitious initiatives while investing in the long-term strength of the region’s cultural ecosystem,” Vassallo said. “I’m inspired by the Center’s commitment to empowering artists and organizations to contribute meaningfully to Philadelphia’s vibrant and diverse arts community. I’m excited to help shape the next chapter of cultural investment in a city and region I know well and have missed deeply.”

Vassallo’s appointment is the result of a nationwide search overseen by the Barnes Foundation, in collaboration with The Pew Charitable Trusts and the search firm Russell Reynolds Associates. In August of this year, the Barnes Foundation became the new operating partner to the Center.

Donna Frisby-Greenwood, the senior vice president leading Philadelphia work for The Pew Charitable Trusts (the Center’s primary funder), said of Vassallo’s appointment: “Christina is a strategic leader with a proven track record of strengthening nonprofits; engaging stakeholders; managing complex partnerships; developing timely, impactful programs; and understanding Philadelphia’s cultural community—all of which are critical to the Center’s role in an evolving creative sector. We are thrilled to have her steward the Center’s grantmaking and partnership with the Barnes Foundation.”

“Christina is a deeply creative and strategic leader whose steadfast commitment to Philadelphia makes her incredibly well-suited to lead the Center in this exciting new chapter,” said Thom Collins, Neubauer Family executive director and president of the Barnes Foundation. “As the Center’s operating partner, the Barnes shares its commitment to fostering new ways of thinking about human creativity. I look forward to welcoming Christina back to the Philadelphia cultural community and working alongside her to explore opportunities for innovative, collaborative programming.”

Before joining FWM, Vassallo was the Executive + Artistic Director of SPACES in Cleveland, where she completed a successful capital campaign and relocation, championed experimental and socially engaged art, and launched grant programs supporting local artists. Earlier in her career, she led Flux Factory in New York and contributed curatorial expertise to the Everson Museum of Art, NURTUREart, and the Jersey City Museum.

Vassallo holds a B.A. in Art History and an M.A. in Nonprofit Visual Arts Management from New York University.