Tuning Up: Big arts news from Upstate + Lowcountry
Good morning!
“Tuning Up” is a morning post series where The Hub delivers curated, quick-hit arts stories of interest to readers. Sometimes there will be one story, sometimes there will be several. Get in tune now, and have a masterpiece of a day. And now, in no particular order…
Glenis Redmond, Greenville’s poet laureate, awarded Order of the Palmetto
from Greenville Journal
Poet and all-around arts icon Glenis Redmond has a cool new honor to her credit.
Here’s the lede from writer Megan Fitzgerald:
Renowned poet Glenis Redmond was awarded the Order of the Palmetto on May 20.
Rep. Chandra Dillard presented the award to Redmond on behalf of Gov. Henry McMaster. The Order of the Palmetto is the highest civilian honor in the state, recognizing the extraordinary achievements and service of South Carolina residents.
Read on at Greenville Journal for more and some words from the artist. Redmond was a 2020 recipient of what is now the S.C. Governor’s Award for the Arts, the state’s highest for artistic achievement. The Hub can’t wait to see what comes next for her!
Gibbes Museum gets Rich quick
from news release
(Pithy headline aside, you will read that there was a serious process, but we couldn’t resist. It was right there…)
The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston announced that after a comprehensive, national search the museum is appointing H. Alexander Rich, Ph.D. as the museum’s new president and CEO.
(The Gibbes Museum happens also to be a past Governor’s Award recipient.-Ed.)
The announcement was made by Board Chairman Spencer J. Lynch.
“His career is marked by a commitment to advancing the fields of museums and art history through his innovative leadership, scholarly contributions, and community engagement. He is recognized for building valuable relationships with donors, and expanding institutional reach globally with major cultural organizations.”
“His experience as a museum director, chief curator, tenured professor, endowed chair, and public lecturer demonstrates a strong commitment to fostering cultural and educational growth in the community,” Lynch said.
Rich is succeeding Angela Mack, who is retiring from the Gibbes after a 44-year tenure. He comes to the Gibbes from the Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art (The AGB) at Florida Southern College, where he served as executive director and chief curator.
He also served as chair of the department of art history and museum studies at Florida Southern College, and as associate professor of art history at the college—holding the George and Dorothy Forsythe Endowed Chair in Art History and Museum Studies.
Dr. Rich is a specialist in modern and contemporary art history, with a particular focus on European and American art of the 19th and 20th centuries. He earned his Ph.D. in art history from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, and his A.B. from Dartmouth College.
A native of New York City, Dr. Rich led The AGB through a period of major transformation and growth and its major expansion in January 2025 – overseeing the fundraising of more than $18 million since 2022, and fulfilling a three-decade-long dream for the Museum.
“I am honored to join the Gibbes Museum of Art, one of the most storied American art museums in one of the most storied cities in the United States,” he said. “I am deeply grateful to be chosen to lead the museum into its next exciting chapter. I look forward to working with the museum’s talented team, the board, donors, city leaders, supporters, members, and community leaders.”
“With the museum’s transformative expansion already underway, the Gibbes has the opportunity to be recognized and celebrated as one of the country’s—and the world’s—great art museums,” Rich added.
The Gibbes Museum’s transition committee conducted more than 20 listening sessions with the board, stakeholders, donors, trustees, leadership team, staff, and members of the community with assistance from the executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates.