Katie Ziglar, Former Ackland Art Museum Director, Is Awarded Title of Director Emerita

Katie M. Ziglar, seventh Director of UNC's Ackland Art Museum, has been named Director Emerita of the Museum by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Much like the conferring of emerita for faculty, this title is bestowed to demonstrate the University's appreciation for her eight years of exemplary service to the Ackland.

Ziglar raised the profile of the Ackland nationally and internationally, achieved record fundraising, doubled the Museum's annual budget from $1.9M to $4.2M and opened the Ackland to a host of new friends and fans. She led the Ackland staff to produce 32 exhibitions and a reinstallation of the permanent collection, present 150+ public programs each year, create a new Museum website, teach 10,000 UNC Chapel Hill students in over 30 disciplines and 3,000 K-12 students each year using art at the Ackland, play its role as the flagship Museum in the UNC system including co-creating shows with other system schools, and position the Museum for a much-needed new building.

"We loved Katie's vitality and boundless enthusiasm for all things Ackland," said John Watson, Chairman of the National Advisory Board of the Museum. "She really set the bar high."

"Katie continued the Ackland's long tradition of superb art acquisitions (including 30 Whistler etchings of Venice from the collection of Ambassador C. Boyden Gray) and conservation, bolstered education and cross-campus collaboration, initiated programs with other UNC campuses, expanded traveling exhibitions in the US and abroad, dramatically increased the endowment, and ventured widely to 'friend-raise,' all to huge success. The Ackland is much stronger and more visible in the landscape today because of her creative efforts," said Elizabeth Broun, Director Emerita of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Ackland National Advisory Board member.

Ziglar was a tireless ambassador to the community writ large for the Ackland and UNC Chapel Hill as well as an extraordinary fundraiser. The Ackland gained over $129 million through her dedicated work. She led the effort to endow three key positions in perpetuity - including the recently-announced Curator of Asian Art. Ziglar acquired for the Ackland the coveted Sheldon and Leena Peck Collection of 134 17th- and 18th - century Dutch and Flemish drawings and a supporting endowment, collectively worth $25M.

Ziglar brought a series of well-attended exhibitions to the Ackland, among them: The Beautiful Brain: The Drawings of Santiago Ramón y Cajal; Past Forward: Native American Art from the Gilcrease Museum; and The Outwin: American Portraiture Today. Her successful rebranding of the Museum made certain no one passes its building without paying attention. Its bold fuchsia "Ackland" sign in lights and interactive art on the outdoor terrace figuratively keeps the Museum open 24/7.

"The Ackland has the collections and education programs to distinguish itself as one of the top public university art museums in the nation," said Ziglar. "However, the nearly 70-year-old building is bursting at the seams and missing amenities museumgoers rightly expect today. "I am overjoyed that the leadership of the Ackland and the University is still committed to build a well-outfitted addition."

"From Winston-Salem, NC, Ziglar was in the first class of Morehead-Cain Scholars to accept women," said Tonya Turner Carroll, co-owner of Turner Carroll Gallery in Santa Fe and a member of the Ackland's National Advisory Board. "It was a glass ceiling-breaking event to receive this prestigious, merit-based full scholarship that was 25 years old at the time," she added. "Katie is the reason I was excited to contribute to the Ackland."

After 29 years serving the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA and the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art, Ziglar was recruited to her alma mater where she had served as an undergraduate intern at the Ackland. "I never imagined myself returning as Director of this marvelous institution and helping it reach for its full potential. I am gratified to receive the great honor of being named Director Emerita!" Ziglar exclaimed.

This honorary title is awarded to thank Ms. Ziglar for all of her past work as the University and the Ackland are entering the next stage in their long history.