Bringing Art to Everyone

Allison Glenn: I’m senior curator at Public Art Fund. In my role, I work with artists to realize public art exhibitions across New York City.

AG: It depends on what kind of organization you work for. Curators can sometimes care for objects or artworks in a collection. Sometimes, curators think about archives. In my role, I work with a team, and we work with artists and ideas to develop exhibitions for the public.

AG: For my undergraduate degree, I got a bachelor of fine arts in photography with a co-major in urban studies. That intersection of arts and cities put me on a pathway to where I am right now, although I wasn’t aware of that at the time. For graduate school, I went to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and got a double master’s degree in art history, theory, and criticism and arts administration and policy.

AG: Patience; a good sense of humor; the ability to manage, lead, follow, delegate, and work collaboratively. And I would also say incredible imagination and a desire for knowledge.

AG: Public art matters because it is a platform that is free and open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are minimal barriers to entry, and it allows people to engage with art. Oftentimes, it can engage a multigenerational, accidental audience. It folds into the natural fabric of the urban experience, and it doesn’t require ascending a staircase or paying an admission fee, so it’s more accessible, and it fits into the daily lives of people.

AG: Artists help us understand the world through a unique lens that can bring insight into issues, concerns, and ideas that perhaps we hadn’t considered.

AG: I’m so bad with favorites. There have been around 20 to 30 projects that I have realized. But there have been many more that I haven’t because ideas don’t always get greenlit [approved]. Just because you have an idea, it doesn’t mean everyone else thinks it’s a great one.

AG: I’m constantly learning new things, traveling, and meeting new people. I have conversations, read books, and meet artists. It’s about the endless pursuit of knowledge, and that’s what I love.