Deana Haggag facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Deana Haggag
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| Born | February 25, 1987 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Rutgers University–Newark, Maryland Institute College of Art |
Deana Haggag (born in 1987) is an American leader in the arts world. She helps guide arts and culture programs at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Before this, she was the President and CEO of United States Artists from 2017 to 2020. She also led The Contemporary museum in Baltimore, Maryland, from 2013 to 2017.
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Early Life and Schooling
Deana Haggag was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1987. Her parents were Muslim Egyptian immigrants. Deana is a Muslim and a first-generation Egyptian American. She grew up in Rutherford, New Jersey.
In 2009, Deana earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University–Newark. She studied Art History and Philosophy there. Later, in 2013, she received a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland. Her studies focused on Curatorial Practice, which is about organizing art exhibitions.
Deana Haggag's Career in Art
From 2017 until May 2020, Deana Haggag was the President and CEO of United States Artists in Chicago. This organization gives US$50,000 "fellowships" (like special grants) to artists. These artists work in many areas, including architecture, dance, literature, music, and visual arts. Before this, she was the Executive Director of The Contemporary museum from 2013 to 2017.
Reviving The Contemporary Museum
When Deana started at The Contemporary, she was only 26 years old. The museum had been closed for about 18 months. She was the only employee at first. Deana is known for helping to bring the museum back to life. She made it one of the most important cultural places in Baltimore.
Under her leadership, the museum grew a lot. The staff increased to five employees. Its budget also grew from US$40,000 to over US$500,000.
Award-Winning Art Projects
During her time, The Contemporary asked artists to create four special large-scale art projects. These projects won awards. They included:
- "Bubble Over Green" by Victoria Fu
- "Ghost Food" by Miriam Simun
- "Only When It's Dark Enough Can You See The Stars" by Abigail DeVille
- "The Ground" by Michael Jones McKean
The museum also created helpful resources for artists in the area.
Praise for Her Work
Many magazines and websites have praised Deana Haggag's work. These include Vogue, Cultured Magazine, Artspace, and Hyperallergic.
Rebecca Bengal from Vogue magazine wrote about Deana's role in helping to protect funding for the arts. She said that Deana brings a "fresh kind of fire" to the arts. She also noted that Deana is younger than many others in her field.
Seattle Art Fair
Deana Haggag was chosen to be the Artistic Director for the 2020 Seattle Art Fair. This event was started by Paul Allen in Seattle, Washington. However, the fair was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
