International urban artist-in-residence program to build upon success of widely recognized curator of contemporary art beginning July 1, 2013.
McColl Center for Visual Art today announced Brad Thomas will assume the role of Director of Residencies
& Exhibitions effective July 1.
In his new role Thomas will work with the leadership team in shaping the artistic and programming strategies while creating inspiring opportunities for artists to create and share their work with the community and beyond.
The Center has more than a decade of experience as a cultural leader in the community showcasing the work of more than
260 artists-in-residence since its opening in 1999. Thomas will look to both carry forward the tradition of conversation
around contemporary art and the role that residency programs can play in advancing artists, art, and society and break new
ground in expanding the boundaries of outreach programs and collaboration with cultural community partners.
Thomas most recently served as Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art for Charlotte’s Mint Museum where he led
significant advances in the Museum’s collection and worked on innovative projects such as the Vote for Art project that
surrounded Charlotte’s recent role as host for the 2012 Democratic National Convention. In addition, he organized the
popular residencies of Japanese installation artist Motoi Yamamoto, whose massive Saltwork covered the atrium floor of
Mint Museum Uptown, and FECUND, the multi-disciplinary work of former McColl Center resident John W. Love, Jr.
Prior to his work with the Mint, Thomas was the director and curator of the Van Every/Smith Galleries at Davidson College.
There he organized dozens of exhibitions and collaborative projects, including the international artists-in-residency project
Force of Nature, which centered on site-specific installations by ten Japanese artists at seven American institutions. Thomas
has also led initiatives to integrate visual art into the learning experience, most notably through the establishment of
Davidson’s Campus Sculpture Program, which features major outdoor installations by Magdalena Abakanowicz, Antony
Gormley, Joel Shapiro, and William Tucker. He also produced publications on Magdalena Abakanowicz, Ewan Gibbs, Herb
Jackson, Robert Lazzarini, Reverend McKendree Robbins Long, and Joel Shapiro. His partnership with the College Writing
Program in 2012 led to the release of Davidson Collects: 100 Writers Respond to Art, the first interdisciplinary book on
Davidson College’s permanent art collection, which features 100 essays on selected works by undergraduate students from
a wide variety of majors.
“My relationship with The Mint Museum spans almost 25 years. In fact, the Mint was the first museum I visited while an
undergraduate art student at UNC Charlotte,” said Thomas. “The impact the institution, as well as many of the people who
have served here, has had on me as an artist, curator, and resident of Charlotte is immeasurable. I look forward to
developing future collaborative opportunities with the Mint with artists and programs featured at McColl Center.” Thomas
holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of North Carolina Charlotte and is widely recognized for his
contributions as both an artist and curator.
Added Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint: “The opportunities afforded by this new position are well
suited to the skills developed through Brad’s interdisciplinary work with professors and students at Davidson College,
international artist-in-residency programs, and his long-standing service with the Public Art Commission. I am very excited
for Brad and proud of his tenure here at the Mint. We also now have the opportunity to strengthen even further our
partnership with the McColl.”
“We are simply thrilled to have the breadth and depth of talent that Brad brings to the Center,” said McColl Center for
Visual Art President and CEO Suzanne Festcher. “He is well respected by artists and administrators and has a keen sense for
piquing interest amongst the public by expanding the reach of art into the community. Brad’s extensive relationships are a
huge asset for us. In terms of his work with the Mint, we look forward to investigating and establishing deeper
opportunities for programming between our organizations.”
ABOUT MCCOLL CENTER FOR VISUAL ART
Located in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, McColl Center for Visual Art is a nationally respected urban artist-in-residence
program that engages artists from the U.S. and around the world in its programs. Center’s goal is to present art and artists
in a way that engages and enriches the public while revealing the creative process through open studios, outreaches,
community projects, educational programs, and the Innovation Institute. The gallery is free and open to the public, Thursday
and Friday from 3 to 9 PM and Saturday from 11 AM to 6 PM.
Since its opening in 1999, the Center has become a cultural leader and the leading organization presenting contemporary
art in Charlotte. It provides the unique opportunity for the public to engage with artists in their studios. The Center has
hosted over 260 artists-in-residence including Nick Cave, Mel Chin, Sonya Clark, Elizabeth Turk, Rashaad Newsome, Franco
Mondini-Ruiz, and Brian Knep.
The Center resides in a beautiful 30,000 square foot Gothic Revival church and boasts one of the best residency facilities in
the U.S. with specialized studios that include sculpture, wood, printmaking, darkroom, ceramics, and media and private
fully-furnished condos for each artist. The Center has been recognized by the Warhol Foundation as one of the top three
residency programs in the U.S. based on the generous financial support to its artists-in-residents.
McColl Center for Visual Art is supported, in part, with a Basic Operating Grant from the Arts and Science Council as
well as the North Carolina Arts Council with funding from the state of North Carolina and the National Endowment for
the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art and the generosity of corporate and individual donors.