From the Director

As we enter the busy season at the Worcester Art Museum—now in its 114th year—I am amazed to realize that I've been on the staff of this wonderful institution for almost a third of its lifetime. I am honored to have served WAM and our community for the past 36 years, and I look forward to continuing to work on the Museum's behalf for many years to come. During the past year, the Board of Trustees and I have been focusing on long-term plans for the Museum, including drawing greater attention to our extraordinary collection, reaching out to an increasingly diverse audience, and integrating technology for improved visitor experiences. As part of this planning process, we have identified new opportunities to capitalize on my strengths for the benefit of the Museum and planning for my successor.

Accordingly, the Board of Trustees will begin a national search for the Museum's next director. This will be a high-profile search, which typically takes six to twelve months. During this time, I will continue as director, overseeing day-to-day operations.

Once a new director is on board, I will transition to a new role, Director Emeritus. In this position, I will devote my energies to our upcoming capital campaign, expanding relationships nationally and internationally, and several other projects that will bring greater attention to the Museum and its pioneering history.

As you can see in the following pages, the Museum has a full schedule of exhibitions, classes and public programs. I hope to see you here with family and friends enjoying one of Worcester's greatest treasures.

James A. Welu, Director

Image credits:
August 15, 1979—Jim holding a painting by Gerrit van Honthorst when he was Associate Curator (image courtesy Worcester T&G/Mitch Abdul-Adal).

June 7, 1986—Jim is greeted by well-wishers as the new director of the Museum (image courtesy Worcester T&G/Dennis Vandal).

September 28, 2010—Jim and WAM Board of Trustees President Cliff Schorer in the European galleries the day Jim announced to the staff his future plans (image courtesy Worcester T&G/Rick Cinclair).