HOUSTON, TX.- The Board of Directors of Houston Center for Contemporary Craft announced that Leila Cartier will be the Center’s executive director beginning July 17th. Her appointment follows her role as executive director of CraftNOW Philadelphia, an organization uniting institutions, scholars, and artists to promote the role of the city in the fields of craft and making.

Cartier brings a wealth of strategic and administrative leadership experience to HCCC, as well as a deep understanding of and connections in the world of contemporary craft. During her tenure at CraftNOW, she directed an annual portfolio of activities, featuring Philadelphia’s most renowned arts institutions; formed key partnerships; and developed a series of programs focused on economic opportunity through craft. Her work fortified the organization’s original mission, substantially expanded its range, and positioned it prominently within the city’s and nation’s cultural landscapes. Previously, she served as the director of exhibitions at the William King Museum of Art, located in her hometown of Abingdon, Virginia.

As executive director of Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Cartier will work closely with the board and staff to begin a new strategic planning process that will emphasize expanding the local and national presence of the organization, enhancing educational offerings, and further advancing its highly regarded artist residency program. She is also profoundly committed to strengthening community partnerships. Judy Nyquist, Board President, commented, “We are thrilled to have Leila as our new executive director. She brings an entrepreneurial spirit, a deep connection to the field of contemporary craft, and an eagerness to expand our reach. We are confident that she has the experience, expertise, and vision to lead HCCC in realizing its full potential in the years to come.”

Cartier is also excited to join the organization in her new role: “The HCCC Board and staff are full of talent and radiate enthusiasm for the organization. I am motivated by their desire to implement new, community-informed projects right away, while simultaneously working on ambitious, transformative goals to attain in the near future. With HCCC’s existing networks and excellent programming, I look forward to broadening our reach as a welcoming, imaginative, civic-minded destination and setting a standard for exceptionalism in contemporary craft.”

Cartier holds an MFA in painting and drawing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and studied Arabic language at Depaul University with a Jacob K. Javits Fellowship. Her BFA in art and art history, from Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia, included a year spent with Temple University in Rome, Italy. She also maintains a personal studio practice.