Trust For Governors Island Names Lauren Haynes Head Curator For Arts And Culture

The Trust for Governors Island and Governors Island Arts has announced the hiring of Lauren Haynes as their new Head Curator and Vice President for Arts and Culture—marking an exciting step forward for one of New York City's most unique cultural destinations. A world-renowned arts expert with decades of experience, Haynes comes to Governors Island following a successful stint as Director of Curatorial Affairs and Programs at the Queens Museum.

“New York City remains the global capital for the arts, a haven for cultural expression, and the home of the best and brightest talent from around the globe. With world-renowned artist Lauren Hayes joining Governors Island, New York City is proving that our reputation still stands true,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Lauren brings decades of experience that will only elevate the ongoing work at Governors Island and open new, exciting doors. I welcome her to the team and look forward to seeing how she will transform Governors Island into her own bold, visionary canvas.”

“I am thrilled to join the team at The Trust for Governors Island and Governors Island Arts at this key moment in the organization's trajectory," said Lauren Haynes, Head Curator and Vice President for Arts and Culture at the Trust for Governors Island. “I look forward to developing programming and working with artists to create projects and exhibitions for New Yorkers and everyone who visits our city.”

“We are honored to have a true visionary at the helm of our arts and culture programming, and we welcome Lauren Haynes to her new home at Governors Island,” said Clare Newman, President & CEO of The Trust for Governors Island. “Our cultural offerings have grown significantly over the past five years, and Lauren is the best person to continue our expansion as an arts destination for both New Yorkers and visitors from around the globe. We look forward to welcoming the public to enjoy her innovative, thoughtful programming selections in the near future.”

“As Governors Island continues to expand access to the arts through innovative and immersive public art projects, I am thrilled to have Lauren Haynes join the team as their new curator,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “Lauren will bring new programming to a unique destination in the middle of New York Harbor, further cementing our city's status as a world-leading cultural hub and supporting our efforts to diversify our workforce.”

“Encompassing both New York's storied history with a viewpoint directed towards the future, Governor's Island has grown into a treasured cultural resource for all New Yorkers,” said Erika Mallin, Executive Director of the New York State Council on the Arts. “On behalf of the staff and Council, congratulations to Lauren Haynes. We all look forward to experiencing your vision and talents at this incredible destination.”

"Governors Island shows us the incredible power of the arts to transform our city's public spaces into vibrant sites for transformative experiences and community engagement," said NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. "With her deep experience in NYC's arts community and track record of visionary leadership, I can't wait to see what Lauren Haynes can accomplish in collaboration with the extraordinary team at Governors Island." 

“Lauren Haynes will be an exceptional addition to Governors Island, ushering in a new era of artistic programming,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “Bringing her decades of visionary work in the arts, she will undoubtedly continue to advance the Trust's commitment to bold and inclusive arts initiatives.”

“I extend my warmest congratulations to Lauren Haynes as she leads the next phase of Governor Island's arts and culture programming. Governor's Island is a respite for New Yorkers and visitors, offering an opportunity to enjoy world-class events and exhibitions in a uniquely beautiful setting,” said Council Member Carlina Rivera. “As Chair of the Committee on Cultural Affairs and Libraries, I look forward to working together in coalition to keep New York City a beacon for creativity and expression.” 

"I've been so inspired to watch Governors Island flourish as a hub for New York artists, and I know Lauren Haynes will continue to grow and nurture the Island's vibrant cultural community," said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. "This sort of care and dedication to the arts is more important than ever, and I'm grateful to the Trust for Governors Island and Governors Island Arts for their vision and leadership."

"Governors Island, with its rich history and evolving cultural landscape, continues to assert its position as a cornerstone of New York City's artistic and public space innovation,” said Assembly Member Charles D. Fall. “I congratulate Lauren on her new role and am confident that under her guidance, Governors Island will continue to be a place where art and community intersect in dynamic and meaningful ways."

During her time at the Queens Museum, Haynes was responsible for the overall vision for the museum's exhibition program and supervising its exhibitions, public practice, and community engagement teams. Haynes has overseen exhibitions and curated projects including Tracey Rose: Shooting Down Babylon (2023) and Caroline Kent: A short play about watching shadows move across the room (2023). Haynes is also the co-curator of Lyle Ashton Harris: Our first and last love, which will be on view at the Queens Museum in May.

Originally from East Tennessee, Haynes moved to New York City when she was 12 years old. In 2023, President Joseph R. Biden appointed Haynes to the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, on which she currently serves. 

Prior to joining the Queens Museum, Haynes was the Patsy R. and Raymond D. Nasher Senior Curator of Contemporary Art at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, where she curated Beyond the Surface: Collage, Mixed Media and Textile Works from the Collection (2022-23) and co-curated The Power of Portraiture: Recent Acquisitions (2022-23) and Reckoning and Resilience: North Carolina Art Now (2022). 

From 2016-2021, Haynes was Director of Artist Initiatives and Curator of Contemporary Art at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary in Bentonville, Arkansas. Haynes led the curatorial team for State of the Art 2020, which opened at Crystal Bridges and the Momentary in February 2020. Haynes's curatorial projects at Crystal Bridges and the Momentary included Kenny Rivero: The Floor is Crooked (2021); Crystal Bridges at 10 (2021; co-curator); Sarah Cain: In Nature (2021); Nick Cave: Until (2020-21; institutional curator); Crystals in Art: Ancient to Today (2019; co-curator) and The Beyond: Georgia O'Keeffe and Contemporary Art (2018; co-curator). Haynes was the institutional curator for the first United States presentation of Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power when it traveled to Crystal Bridges in 2018. Haynes also led the development of the visual arts team and program at the Momentary (a satellite contemporary art space of Crystal Bridges) prior to its opening in February 2020.

Before joining Crystal Bridges, Haynes spent nearly a decade at The Studio Museum in Harlem where she held multiple positions, including Associate Curator for the permanent collection. As a specialist in contemporary art by artists of African Descent, Haynes curated dozens of exhibitions at the Studio Museum and contemporary art institutions in New York. At the Studio Museum, Haynes oversaw the care and collection of the permanent collection as well as acquisitions and exhibitions.

As Associate Curator, Permanent Collection, for the Studio Museum Haynes curated four main space exhibitions, including Alma Thomas (2016; co-curator); Speaking of People: Ebony, Jet and Contemporary Art (2014-15); Trenton Doyle Hancock: Skin and Bones, 20 Years of Drawing (2015; institutional organizer) and Stanley Whitney: Dance the Orange (2015).  As an assistant curator at the Studio Museum, Haynes oversaw the Artist-in-Residence program in 2011–12, 2012–13 and 2013–14. She also curated over a dozen exhibitions, including Carrie Mae Weems: The Museum Series (2014), Kira Lynn Harris: The Block/Bellona (2011-12), and Spiral: Perspectives on an African-American Art Collective (2011). At the Studio Museum, Haynes co-curated several exhibitions, including Fore, the fourth display of emerging artists in the Studio Museum's groundbreaking “f” show series, which includes Freestyle, Frequency, Flow and Fictions.

As part of her curatorial practice, Haynes has authored and co-authored several catalogs, including Lyle Ashton Harris: Our first and last love; State of the Art 2020; The Beyond: Georgia O'Keeffe and Contemporary Art; Alma Thomas, The Bearden Project, Speaking of People: Ebony, Jet, and Contemporary Art and Stanley Whitney: Dance the Orange.

Haynes has participated in many panels and lectures about contemporary art and artists. She has also lectured at venues around the United States, including The Whitney Museum of American Art; The Brooklyn Rail; Lamar Dodd School of Art; Artadia; and Texas State University, San Marcos. She has been a jurist for various art prizes and exhibitions across the US, including the David C. Driskell Prize; the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition; Lyndon House Arts Center; the Yeck Young Painters Competition; and ArtPrize. Haynes has written on leading contemporary artists including Jordan Casteel; Leonardo Drew; Trenton Doyle Hancock; Jennifer Packer; and Nari Ward. Haynes is on the board of the Association of Art Museum Curators and the AAMC Foundation and serves as Vice President of Fundraising. Haynes is on the visiting committee for the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College where she earned her bachelor's degree. Haynes was a 2018 Center for Curatorial Leadership fellow and a recipient of a 2020 ArtTable New Leadership Award. 

Since opening to the public in 2005, Governors Island has become a beloved cultural resource for New York City. In an effort to expand arts programming, the Trust hired its first Head Curator and Vice President for Arts and Culture Meredith Johnson in 2016. Since then, the program has grown exponentially in its offerings for Island visitors, artists, other cultural practitioners—including temporary and long-term public art commissions by artists including Rachel Whiteread, Susan Philipsz, David Brooks, Jacob Hashimoto, Shantell Martin, Duke Riley, Richard Move, Sam Van Aken, Mark Dion, and Charles Gaines; an annual Organization in Residence program in the Island's historic houses; and free public programs and events in partnership with a wide range of cultural organizations. 

Governors Island Arts presents its program with the visionary support of the Ford Foundation, as well the Mellon Foundation, the Charina Endowment Fund, Donald R. Mullen Family Foundation, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Gottesman Fund, Donald A. Pels Charitable Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.