Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Announces Departure of Murray Horne, Head Curator

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust bids farewell to its Head Curator of 25 years, Murray Horne. Mr. Horne became Curator of Wood Street Galleries in 1996 to oversee all visual arts programming for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, as well as a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia. A practicing artist himself, his work has been exhibited widely in the United States and he has taught Visual Arts Management at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz School. Mr. Horne has received numerous awards including a MacDowell Colony Fellowship and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Individual Artist Fellowship.

"After 25 years of opening the glass door of Wood Street Galleries, I am very much looking forward to not knowing what each day will hold," says Mr. Horne. "I plan to stay involved in the arts in Pittsburgh, including curating a show at Wood Street Galleries this fall, and look forward to unfolding opportunities. I am excited and invigorated by the prospect of opening unknown chapters."

In his capacity at the Cultural Trust, Murray Horne has curated more than 100 exhibitions, group, and individual artists' shows throughout the Cultural District Galleries - SPACE, Wood Street Galleries, 707 and 709 Galleries, and 937 Gallery. Included in these were groundbreaking multimedia and U.S. premiere exhibitions. Under Murray's expert hand and guidance, SPACE has regularly been named a leading gallery for local artists and Wood Street Galleries has gained international acclaim as a world leading gallery for new media. Mr. Horne has personally curated 86 exhibitions at the innovative Wood Street Galleries, which has contributed substantively to Pittsburgh's ascension as a national model for arts and culture.

"We have been so fortunate to have Murray's brilliant vision and expert hand guiding the curation of our galleries and public art spaces," says Kevin McMahon, President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. "After 25 years of service, it is going to be difficult to fill his shoes, but we are excited to conduct a nationwide search and find someone for the position who will maintain the caliber of visual arts that Murray has set for our beloved galleries in the Cultural District."

Mr. Horne has pushed boundaries outside of the galleries, as well, contributing to the vibrancy of the Cultural District. Highlights of the public artwork Mr. Horne has commissioned in his role at the Cultural Trust include the 28 artistic bike racks throughout the Cultural District, Cell Phone Disco, FLOW, and Water Cube. The Cultural Trust's quarterly Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District was also Mr. Horne's brainchild. This free, multi-venue showcase of Pittsburgh's dynamic art and entertainment scene regularly draws in thousands of visitors for an 'open house' that features local and international artists in exhibitions, performances, and screenings inside of galleries, storefronts, and restaurants throughout the Cultural District.

Given the strong legacy built by Mr. Horne over the last decades, public and visual arts have become increasingly essential in connecting with the community over the course of the pandemic and the Cultural Trust is working to maintain this level of curatorial vision within its larger artistic plans. Mr. Horne has programmed Cultural Trust galleries well into 2022, which allows the organization appropriate time to conduct a full search. Information will be posted on TrustArts.org/Employment regarding the job opening and Cultural Trust administration will also be reaching out to national arts recruiting networks.

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