SEATTLE, WA
December 5, 2023
After a rigorous national search, the Frye Art Museum has appointed Tamar Benzikry to the newly created role of Director of Learning & Engagement. Ms. Benzikry’s varied and deep roots in Seattle’s cultural sector include serving as curator & producer for Meta Open Arts, ten years as a public art project manager at 4Culture, and as faculty at the University of Washington. In this senior-level leadership role, Ms. Benzikry will work within creative and community-driven spheres to build relationships and forge mutually beneficial partnerships that expand access to the arts through the museum. She will begin her new role on January 9, 2024.
“I am honored to join the Frye Art Museum in supporting its mission to expand the meaning of artistic inquiry, civic responsibility, and community engagement,” says Benzikry. “As a dedicated advocate for interdisciplinary learning and experimentation through collaboration, I look forward to nurturing the Frye’s existing programs and co-creating new initiatives. Together, we will embolden artists, community groups, and learners of all ages to not only develop their ideas but also amplify their impact through innovative programs and partnerships.”
“I’m thrilled to welcome Tamar to the Frye’s team,” states Executive Director Jamilee Lacy. “One of the many qualities that elevated her candidacy is the entrepreneurial spirit that she employs triple-time on behalf of artists, under-resourced communities, and lifelong learners alike. I also appreciate her deep knowledge of the ways technology and dialogue can change our looking and learning environments. I believe the community will benefit from her expertise in facilitating exchange and creativity within the museum walls as well as across the city, region, and beyond.”
As a curator and producer for Meta Open Arts, Benzikry commissioned 70+ artists across the Americas to create large-scale, site-specific installations that prioritized experimentation and advanced art/tech innovation with a focus on social and community impact. During her 10+ years with 4Culture, she led pioneering and award-winning public art projects, managing complex teams with multiple community stakeholders. Highlights include a reimagined Poetry on Buses campaign that centered immigrant and underserved communities, and SODO Track, a public/private partnership that transformed 2-miles of industrial buildings into a street art corridor showcasing the work of over 60 artists from 20 countries. In 2023, Tamar founded Art and Purpose, an artist-forward, purpose driven consultancy that supports foundations, nonprofit organizations, and select individual creators to shape culture, inspire innovation, and drive positive change.
A champion of the essential role of art in learning and everyday life, Benzikry has taught at the University of Washington and is a member of the Port of Seattle Art Board. As a creative strategist and coalition builder, her work is guided by a sustained commitment to diversity and inclusion, building deep and supportive relationships with artists and community partners, and advocating for art as an agent for social change.
Benzikry will oversee the Learning & Engagement department at the Frye, formerly known as the Education department. This shift signals the museum's commitment to an active, reciprocal, and dynamic approach to community engagement—one that expands to better honor the relationships between artists, community members, and museums. Foregrounding a commitment to social, racial, and environmental justice, the department’s charge is rooted in serving diverse communities, learners of all backgrounds, and an intergenerational network of artists, creatives, and educators.
Benzikry joins the Frye’s exceptional Learning & Engagement team comprising Lynda Belt, Anna Buxton, Yazmin Cojulun, Kelsey Donahue, Connie Fu, Annick Garcia, Mary Michaud, Samantha Sanders, and Lila Thomas, who together oversee and manage K-12 school programs, Creative Aging programs, adult public programs, visitor services, and many other forms of exchange-based learning and public engagement.
About the Frye Art Museum
Founded in 1952, the Frye is Seattle’s only free art museum, bringing together art and new ideas within a stunning Olson Sundberg Kundig-designed building in historic First Hill. A founding collection of turn-of-the-century oil paintings is bolstered by a wide range of modern and contemporary art holdings, reflecting our region's evolving identity and a commitment to exploring the art of our time. Learn more at fryemuseum.org.