The Portland Museum of Art is hiring a new lead curator, a role that will likely be instrumental in the development of a sweeping new wing.
The previous curator, Shalini Le Gall, spent nearly five years in the role. She departed this summer to become the director of the Ackland Art Museum at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The Portland Museum of Art is the largest in the state and has a collection of more than 19,000 objects. A job description says this position “serves as the senior-most curatorial authority responsible for aligning the PMA’s collections and artistic strategy with broader institutional priorities, including capital campaigns and philanthropic initiatives.”
For years, the Portland Museum of Art has been planning to build a new wing that would include free galleries, performance space, a photography center and a rooftop terrace. After months of city meetings and court hearings, the museum tore down a neighboring building to make way for that new construction.
The end of that legal battle jumpstarted fundraising again, and the campaign surpassed $50 million. But that number is still far from the initial goal of $100 million, and the museum hasn’t shared a timeline for the project or submitted plans to the city. The job listing for the head curator doesn’t specifically mention that project but does emphasize the importance of the role.
“With an entrepreneurial perspective, strong change management abilities, and a commitment to ongoing growth, this position serves as a key cultural leader as the PMA continues to evolve and expand its impact,” the job description says.
Marcie P. Griswold, a spokesperson for the museum, declined a request for an interview with museum leaders and provided a written statement from the museum’s people strategy officer.
“The Portland Museum of Art has launched a national search for its next Museum Lead Curator, Head of Art and Exhibitions, with plans to appoint the position by early 2026,” Alyssa Levesque said. “This senior leadership role will provide strategic direction for the PMA’s curatorial division, overseeing the care, growth, and interpretation of the museum’s collection.”
The salary range listed for the job is $114,501 to $148,852. The museum’s most recent form 990, a tax filing for nonprofits, listed Le Gall’s compensation as $152,586 in the fiscal year that ended in January 2024.
Le Gall joined the Portland Museum of Art in 2020 as the European art curator and director of academic engagement. Previously, she was the curator of academic programs at the Colby College Museum of Art for five years. She was promoted to the role of chief curator within months, when her predecessor, Jessica May, left the museum. May had worked at the museum since 2012 and been in the chief curator role since 2017.
Le Gall declined a request for an interview through a spokesperson at the University of North Carolina.
“Working in academic and museum settings has taught me that art is a powerful form of creative expression that can bring people together,” Le Gall said in a news release from the university at the time of her hire. “Given the Ackland’s position as a key center for teaching and learning, and its expansive collection and dynamic exhibition program, I am honored to serve in this role and excited to work in close partnership with UNC-Chapel Hill’s academic initiatives while extending further outreach to a broader community of visitors.”
