Buffalo AKG splits its top role into two positions

The Buffalo AKG Art Museum just announced it's dividing its leadership into two separate director roles, promoting from within. Chief curator Cathleen Chaffee steps into the artistic director position, while deputy director Jillian Jones takes on executive director. I find it genuinely encouraging when institutions look inward and elevate people who already know the collection, the community, the rhythm of the place. It feels like choosing depth over flash, which honestly reminds me of tending a garden you already love rather than redesigning it from scratch. Do you think museums benefit more from internal promotions like this, or does fresh outside leadership bring something irreplaceable?

Source: The Art Newspaper — https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/07/24/buffalo-akg-art-museum-two-director-roles-promotions