SAG HARBOR, NY.- Sara Cochran, founding Chief Curator of The Church in Sag Harbor, will step down from her position on June 29th, after the opening of her final exhibition Are You Joking? Women & Humor. This major art show explores the diverse ways humor is used in the work of female-identifying contemporary artists. Cochran is leaving to focus on personal projects and new opportunities.

Cochran joined The Church in December 2019 as Executive Director and Chief Curator, working closely with The Church’s co-founders, artists Eric Fischl and April Gornik, opening the arts and creativity center and artist residency during COVID in the spring of 2021. Responding to the institution's rapid growth, Cochran transitioned to Chief Curator in 2022 to focus on its ambitious exhibition program.

“It has been an extraordinary pleasure to work with Eric and April, the board, Executive Director Sheri Pasquarella, and all of my colleagues at The Church. I so enjoyed co-curating with Eric and will miss our riotous conversations about the nature and history of art. I will also miss the remarkable and welcoming communities of the East End and its natural beauty,” said Cochran. “But happily my departure ends on the high note of Are You Joking? Women & Humor, a particular passion project of mine and our fifth major exhibition in four years.”

"It has been a pleasure and invigorating working closely with Sara these last four years on exhibitions that have brought vitality and a strong perspective to Sag Harbor and the East End,” said Fischl. “I am very proud of the work we have been able to do together. I wish her the greatest success on her path forward and the projects she is forming."

Under Cochran’s tenure, The Church has held eighteen exhibitions, thirteen of which she curated or co-curated with Fischl, principally Road Rage (2021), Empire of Water (2022), and Threading the Needle (2022). Strike Fast, Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing (2023) was collaboratively curated with Flag Art Foundation in NYC and shown in both venues. An expanded iteration of Strike Fast, Dance Lightly, curated at the Norton Museum of Art, Palm Beach, FL, will open in October 2024. The project is accompanied by an exhibition catalogue, The Church’s first, that has been prepared cooperatively with the Flag Art Foundation and the Norton Museum of Art.