Lisa Funderburke Tapped to Lead Newark Museum of Art
She’ll join New Jersey's largest fine art museum after nine years at the helm of the Artist Communities Alliance.
The Newark Museum of Art has tapped Lisa Funderburke, currently president and CEO of the Artist Communities Alliance (ACA), as its new leader.
Funderburke will become the New Jersey museum’s next president and chief executive following the departure of Linda Harrison, who left the role last year after a six-year tenure.
Funderburke announced her decision to step down from the ACA, an organization that provides support and resources for artists and artist residencies, earlier this month. In a January 20 email, ACA Board Chair Kibra Yohannes celebrated Funderburke's “exemplary service.”
“With Lisa’s partnership, we built a board that is more reflective of our field,” Yohannes said. “We grew organizational capacity and increased support for artists. We deepened our commitment to access, moving from a transactional membership model to a values-based network.”
The Newark Museum of Art is New Jersey’s largest fine art museum, with 300,000 objects spanning art, science, and natural history. Funderburke takes the helm as institutions across the country confront new challenges under the Trump administration.
Before leading ACA, Funderburke served as the associate director of the McColl Center for Art + Innovation in Charlotte, North Carolina. She served on the boards of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, and is currently a board member at the Performing Arts Alliance and the Center for Cultural Innovation in Los Angeles.
In addition to arts administration experience, she holds a Master’s degree in biology from Howard University, bringing a scientific background that the museum welcomed in a press release announcing her appointment.
In a statement, Funderburke said she believes “museums are most vital when they are responsive, collaborative, and deeply connected to the communities they serve.”
“Throughout my career, I have seen how cultural institutions function as essential civic infrastructure,” Funderburke said.
“I am excited to work with the Newark community and broader networks of artists and partners to position the museum as a leader in national and global conversations about art, science, and cultural exchange, stewarding the museum as a shared public space for learning, creativity, and dialogue,” she continued.
Funderburke's new appointment will be effective February 1, the Newark Museum of Art said.
