Gibbes Museum director stepping down after 2 years

After serving as executive director of the Gibbes Museum of Art for two years, Todd D. Smith, often credited for bringing the museum into the 21st century with modern technology, has announced he will step down effective April 1.

The announcement was made Monday at a scheduled meeting of the board of directors of the Carolina Art Association, which is the governing body of the museum. The museum's executive committee also announced that Smith, 42, will remain employed by the museum as director of special projects through June 30, a plan approved by Tom White, board chairman, and other executive committee members Eric Friberg and Elizabeth Bradham.

White said a search committee to find another permanent executive director would be formed immediately. White said that Smith makes $155,000 as executive director. "We are not certain that we will hire a full-time interim director during those three months until June 30," White said. "We may have to depend on some volunteers like myself."

Some see Smith's departure as the result of a disagreement between the concept of bringing in more contemporary work, as opposed to concentrating on the unique quality of the Gibbes, a treasure trove of history.

This makes the second time in six years that the arts institution has been left without an executive director. In 2002, the board voted to fire Dr. Paul Figueroa, who had been executive director for nearly 14 years. His successor, Elizabeth A. Fleming, left in August 2005, after only three years, to become president of Converse College in Spartanburg.

"I think the explanations for why both Betsy left and Todd is now leaving are pretty simple," said Eric Friberg, first vice president of the board. "Betsy not only wanted to become president of Converse, but she was going to Spartanburg, which is her home," he said. "Todd says that his heart just isn't in it anymore, and I've learned after working with many nonprofits that it is better for someone to leave if he or she doesn't want to be in a certain place."

Arts connoisseurs have noted that the Gibbes has faced increasing competition with more art galleries in town and an aggressive director at the all-contemporary Halsey Institute for Contemporary Art at the College of Charleston.

Friberg and White both said that the museum, for now, would be concentrating on its core collections for exhibitions.

Concerning the financial effect Smith has had on the museum, Friberg said, "The Gibbes has not really been on a solid financial foundation for the past 10 years, but things are better now than they were two years ago, so Todd has done fine in that area. But I must say that we've got a ways to go in order to be in a good, solid financial position."

Smith, 42, said he isn't sure what career path he will pursue next, and has no plans to move to another museum.

"I may finish my Ph.D. dissertation to earn my doctorate from Indiana University, or I may travel, or who knows what could happen," said Smith, who holds an undergraduate degree from Duke University and a master's degree from Indiana.

For the museum, Smith created a new logo, graphic identity and marketing plan, and launched a new Web Site with an accompanying educational plan for the utilization of another new site.

The recent exhibit "Now," which featured contemporary Southern artists under age 40, was curated by Smith. "I think we have struck a good balance between contemporary and historical art, showing that the Gibbes is forward-thinking, even though it is located in an historic city," he said.

In the role of director of special projects, (a new position), Smith will oversee the process of choosing the winner of the Elizabeth and Mallory Factor Prize for Southern Art, which carries a $10,000 prize. The winner will be announced in April. He also will assist with the naming of a new deputy director of institutional advancement, and he will continue work on an upcoming exhibition of work by Lowcountry artist Washington Allston (1779-1853). This will be on display at the Gibbes in 2010, as museums generally plan their exhibits two years in advance.

Smith said the Gibbes has 14 full-time employees, down three from last year, and eight to 10 part-time workers. During Smith's tenure, the number of high-end donors who contribute from $1,000 to $5,000 a year has increased 6.2 percent and lower-level memberships have remained stable, Smith said. He noted that in the two years since he took over, the museum had seen a 2 percent increase in membership dollars and a 3.7 percent increase in admissions revenue. However, the budget for the last fiscal year was $2.2 million and for this fiscal year it is $1.8 million.

Reach Dottie Ashley at 937-5704 or dashley@postandcourier.com.

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