The Sioux City Art Center is delighted to announce the hiring of its new curator. Christopher Atkins began his tenure in this important role on February 25, 2022.

From 2009-2015 Christopher served as Coordinator of the Minnesota Artists Exhibition Program at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), where he mounted exhibitions by artists around the state of Minnesota. He has a well-established reputation of working with and supporting artists in this capacity as well as through activities as a fund-raiser, juror, advisor, and writer. At Mia he co-organized site-specific installations and worked on various artist-in-residency programs, as well as major traveling exhibitions. With support from regional and national foundations he also co-developed expanded programing that supported cross-departmental collaborations that engaged with Mia’s site and collection. 

In 2015, he was hired as Curator of Exhibitions at the Minnesota Museum of American Art (the M). There he organized one-person and group exhibitions which featured local, regional and national artists. His responsibilities also included researching and developing the M’s permanent collection, and commissioning site-responsive installations for the museum’s public spaces. He also organized significant exhibitions that featured the M’s collection in partnership with guest curators and scholars. The exhibition-related programming he organized tapped into existing or built on new partnerships with local organizations and audiences. Over his career, he has presented a wide-range of quality art experiences that are thought provoking and innovative; his multi-faceted skills are focused on setting a vision then meeting institutional goals, creating partnerships, and connecting with local arts communities.

Art Center director Todd Behrens states, “Christopher not only has extensive experience as a curator, but his energy, warmth, intellect, and commitment to using art as a way of sharing ideas that inspire the community promises to be an exciting addition not only to the Art Center, but to Sioux City itself.”

Christopher holds degrees in art history and visual cultures from the College of Wooster and Goldsmiths College, University of London. He has taught both museum studies and contemporary art, and mentored students at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and Macalester College.  

“I am excited to be here,” Christopher comments. “There’s a lot happening in the next few months so I’m eager to get started and hit the ground running. I’m looking forward to learning more about the collection, working with the Art Center staff and fulfilling our mission by ‘bringing the excitement of the arts to our community.’”