New Leadership for a Venerable Institution

After a nationwide search, Rebekah Beaulieu was selected as president and CEO of the Taft Museum of Art.

Images Courtesy of Taft Museum of Art

Rebekah (Becky) Beaulieu has been a museum professional for more than twenty years. Her career has evolved from education and curatorial positions to museum administration: in 2009, Beaulieu [or] [Becky, as she prefers to be called] was appointed director of the Winchester (Massachusetts) Historical Society. After four years in Winchester, then another four as associate director of the Bowdoin College Museum of Art in Brunswick, Maine, Becky accepted the position of director at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut, in 2018. Formerly the site of the Lyme Art Colony, the Florence Griswold Museum consists of a National Historic Landmark house, a modern gallery building for special exhibitions and museum amenities, and 12 acres of engaging, family-friendly landscape.

Taft Museum of Art new President and CEO Rebekah Beaulieu

With her expertise in American domestic architecture and historic preservation, Becky was drawn to the unique story of the boardinghouse turned artists’ colony. Over her five-year tenure, she made significant strides in advancing the museum’s community engagement and financial stability. Becky’s accomplishments include the development of a five-year strategic plan, the establishment of an artist-in-residence program, and the completion of the $1 million Robert F. Schumann Artists’ Trail. Of course, no one expected a pandemic to interject itself into the museum’s upward momentum.

“The trail became a central engagement point, welcoming the community to explore the surrounding ecology, natural history, and land conservation.” Also, says Becky, “Visitors could experience a greater diversity of museum experiences beyond the gallery walls, expanding the definition of what a museum could be for its community.”

Becky is bringing this same energy and strategic vision to her new role as president and CEO of the Taft Museum of Art. Leaving the Flo Gris—as the Florence Griswold Museum is affectionately called—was a bittersweet decision for Becky. But in Cincinnati, the appeal was multifaceted. She is right at home, quite literally, leading Ohio’s premier historic house, art museum, and landmark. But after fifteen years on the East Coast, Becky and her husband, Patrick, were excited to return to the Midwest to be closer to family in a city that offers a culturally rich place to grow their own roots.

The Taft Museum of Art stewards the art collection of its co-founders Anna Sinton Taft and Charles Phelps Taft. At the turn of the 20th century, few art collectors in Cincinnati shared the passion and determination of this pair. Beginning in 1903, the Tafts shared their collection with the community, regularly making the works available for viewing to invited artists, artisans, and others. They also shared their collection with the wider public by lending it to the Cincinnati Art Museum for an exhibition in 1911. The Tafts continued their mission of making art accessible to the community by bequeathing their collection and home to the people of Cincinnati in 1927. This gift also included an endowment that would support their newly created museum, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Conservatory of Music, and the Cincinnati Art Museum. This is a legacy that continues to be given back to the Cincinnati community generation after generation.

Becky arrives at the Taft with a vision for its future. The awardwinning Duncanson Artist-in-Residence is a focal point, given her success in managing residence programs at the Flo Gris. “The award-winning Duncanson Artist-in-Residence is a totally unique avenue for engaging new audiences. I look forward to raising the profile of the residency in the coming years while honoring its legacy of celebrating the achievements of contemporary Black American artists.” The recently completed Bicentennial Infrastructure Project supported by the Love This House capital campaign offers other opportunities for increasing engagement, Becky adds, as do continuing programs like the award-winning Artists Reaching Classrooms, which just celebrated its 30th year.

“The Taft Museum of Art has an exceptional history and is poised for an exciting next chapter. I’m thrilled to join the museum and the Cincinnati community.”