COURTESY MASS MOCA
Larry Smallwood, the current deputy director and chief operating officer of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA), will move to the Clark Institute in Williamstown as deputy director. In his new role beginning October 29, he will succeed Tony King, who is retiring after 23 years at the Clark.
Smallwood’s tenure at MASS MoCA began in 1998, before the institution’s official opening. He helped create the infrastructure for its performance venues and provided technical support to its performing arts programming. In 2003, he started working for the museum’s production and technical team.
Between 2006 and 2013, Smallwood was a producer and designer for several art and cultural institutions in Chicago, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago. He has also served as a producer of events and art installations for corporate clients like Equity Group Investments, Harley-Davidson, and BBC America.
He returned to MASS MoCA in 2013, after which point he helped lead its recent $40 million expansion, managed various departments and budgets, and oversaw commercial real estate operations.
MASS MoCA founding director Joseph Thompson said in a statement, “To say that Larry has been pivotal in the birth and development of MASS MoCA would be to understate the depth and breadth of his contribution, which spanned nearly 14 years of combined service. The depth of his commitment to MASS MoCA, and the almost endless capacity of his heart, leaves an indelible mark on this place and makes him a cherished colleague.”
Smallwood said, “I have a deep love for the Berkshires and consider myself fortunate to have had the chance to play a small part in shaping some of the changes and growth that have spurred our cultural economy over the last twenty years. I’ve watched with interest as Olivier Meslay laid the groundwork for the Clark’s next chapter and know that the years ahead will be filled with transformative new programs and ambitious challenges.”