Arts

Meet the Five Women Leading Austin’s Art Institutions Into the Future

This Women’s History Month, meet the art directors bringing fresh perspectives to some of Austin’s most important art spaces

By Christina Garcia
Photos by John Pesina
March 30, 2026

(From left) Art directors sharon maidenberg, Katie Robinson Edwards, Sylvia Orozco, Simone Wicha and Jade Walker. (Photo by John Pesina)

What makes an exhibition resonate long after a visit? For the women leading some of Austin’s most prominent art spaces, the answer often lies in work that challenges, unsettles or opens up new ways of seeing. These leaders are thinking about how art can spark curiosity, deepen empathy and help people better understand the city and culture around them. “Sometimes, (new art) proposes creative solutions I wish more people would pay attention to,” said Mexic-Arte Co-Founder and Executive Director Sylvia Orozco.

Mexic-Arte Co-Founder and Executive Director Sylvia Orozco. (Photo by John Pesina)

An anchor of downtown’s newly designated Mexican-American Cultural District corridor and soon to be completely renovated, Mexic-Arte collection includes work from the Chicano art movement and Mexican school of painting. The museum regularly showcases community and folk art, and is one of just a few institutions to focus on Latine stories told through art nationwide.

Beating hearts

UMLAUF Sculpture Garden Curator and Executive Director Katie Robinson Edwards was of a similar mind. “Art tells you what’s happening in the world at this very moment,” she said. “Artists are always at the cutting edge.”

Dozens of bronze and stone sculptures created from the 1930s to 1980s by the late Charles Umlauf are on display in the sculptor’s garden. Located near Barton Springs at Umlauf’s former home and studio, the outdoor museum regularly presents contemporary artists alongside his work, drawing connections between different time periods through shared themes and values.

“When you look at the Refugee, you’re not just thinking of refugees after World War II. You’re thinking about all refugees around the world,” said Edwards, referencing Umlauf’s “Refugees II,” a bronze sculpture of a kneeling woman holding a child. Visiting artists like Sedrick Huckaby, who exhibit in UMLAUF’s indoor gallery, also cultivate compassion. “If you look closely, you’ll realize that a lot of what the artists are doing is probably anti-fascist,” said the curator.

The Contemporary Austin Executive Director and CEO sharon maidenberg. (Photo by John Pesina)

Eyes wide open

Looking closely is vital, according to Contemporary Austin Executive Director and CEO sharon maidenberg. “For me, the learning and empathy that seeing the world through an artist’s eyes builds is a really important soft skill,” she said. The Contemporary’s downtown gallery puts on thoughtful multi-media exhibitions and hosts public classes in a wide range of artistic disciplines.

“I do think that everyone deserves to be in proximity to art, culture, and creativity,” said the director. At the same time, she is mindful of making contemporary art feel welcoming and accessible, even when it engages with politically fraught issues. After all, artists inevitably respond to the world around them through the lens of their own experience.

Elisabet Ney Museum Director and Curator Jade Walker. (Photo by John Pesina)

Socratic methods

Austin’s first museum, the Elisabet Ney Museum, is dedicated to a figure who defied convention. A German-born sculptor, naturalist and early suffragist, Ney built a life and career on her own terms, and her work now appears in the Smithsonian, the Texas Capitol and other major collections.

That legacy continues to inform the museum’s approach today, with Director and Curator Jade Walker regularly presenting contemporary artists alongside Ney’s sculptures to spark new perspectives on the present. “I want to feel that spark of curiosity,” said Walker, whose museum will reopen in October. “I’m always drawn to installations that take risks,” she said. “An exhibition that leaves me with more questions than answers is a win in my book.”

Growth and change

Blanton Museum of Art Director Simone Wicha concurs. She said she knows she has seen a satisfying exhibition when she leaves having learned something new and feeling a little smarter. Part of the University of Texas campus, the Blanton is the largest art museum in Austin, the second-most visited in Texas, and home to one of the country’s largest collections of Latin American art. Its galleries regularly feature contemporary artists in multiple concurrent exhibitions throughout the year.

“The strength of the art community impacts the quality of life in Austin. Kids growing up with access to a rich art experience can be transformed in so many ways … Of course, this is true for adults as well!” Wicha said. Like the other museum leaders shaping Austin’s institutions, she sees art not only as a way to preserve culture, but as a way to deepen understanding of the present.