(The following information was provided by the James A. Michener Art Museum in Bucks County.)
The James A. Michener Art Museum is pleased to announce that its board of trustees has selected a dynamic new executive director, Anne Corso, to lead the museum into its next exciting chapter of growth.
An educator, museum professional, and arts leader with several decades of leadership experience, Corso comes to the Michener after having served as the executive director of Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester for the past five years.
"We are thrilled to welcome Anne Corso to the Michener Art Museum,” said Bob Byers, chair of the Michener’s board of trustees. "With her past success at other art museums, we are confident she is the right leader to strengthen community ties and build upon the strong foundation of this institution, which was created to celebrate the artistic tradition in Bucks County.”
An innovative and visionary leader, Corso has helped museums develop into vibrant cultural spaces that resonate with and enrich their local communities. As the executive director of Southern Vermont Arts Center, Corso led the transformation of the multi-disciplinary organization into an active, engaging institution that now is a cultural hub of the community and the leading arts institution in Vermont.
"I am elated to join the incredible team at the Michener Art Museum with its talented staff, dedicated board, and deep connections to the Bucks County community,” said Corso. "I have been privileged to make my career in art museums and art institutions that bring people and art together, often in new and exciting ways. I am honored to be able to continue and expand on that trajectory with all the dedicated partners of the Michener. Together, we will work to develop a bright path forward while honoring the museum’s legacy and looking to its future.”
During her tenure at Southern Vermont Arts Center, Corso doubled the institution’s membership and annual fund, grew the education programs fivefold, and spearheaded millions of dollars in capital improvements that included launching a destination restaurant in its historic mansion, renovating its museum galleries, and implementing numerous critical infrastructure projects.
She also spearheaded the center’s long-range planning process, established a grants program that included securing funding from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, oversaw the creation of nationally and internally relevant exhibitions such as "The Red Dress” and "Ashley Bryan: The Spirit of Joy,” and developed an extensive network of community partnerships within the region. With Corso’s sound fiscal management and nimble fundraising, the center thrived during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to that, Corso served as the director of education at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia. As part of the museum’s leadership team, she oversaw the education department, the museum’s Perry Glass Studio, and the Jean Outland Chrysler Library. Under her leadership, the education department garnered national recognition for the museum’s programming and partnerships with underserved communities, led a reinterpretation effort in the museum’s major renovation and reinstallation, and created and secured funding for the Wonder Studio, the museum’s first interactive gallery for families. Corso also has held leadership positions at the Reading Public Museum in Reading, Pennsylvania, and the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington, Delaware.
The arts have been Corso’s profession for 20 years. In addition to her museum career, she has worked in a private art gallery, a regional art center, and a contemporary art center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in art history from Rosemont College in Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in museum education from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She completed the Executive Education Program for Museum Leaders at the Museum Leadership Institute. Corso was honored as a Woman of Distinction in the arts category from the YWCA of Hampton Roads in 2017 for her commitment to community engagement. In Vermont, Corso served as the president of the board of the Manchester Business Association.
The James A. Michener Art Museum collects, preserves, interprets, and exhibits art, primarily American art, and promotes the Delaware River Valley region’s rich artistic and cultural heritage, with a particular focus on Bucks County. The museum presents exhibitions that explore a variety of artistic expressions and offers diverse educational programs that develop a lifelong involvement in the arts.
