New director at Academy of Fine Arts museum

Harry Philbrick, director of the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Conn., has been named director of the museum at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

The position of museum director has been vacant since late 2009, when then-director David R. Brigham was named president and chief executive of the overall academy, which includes a school as well as the museum.

Donald Caldwell, academy board chair, lauded Philbrick's experience. Officials said that attendance at the Alrdrich tripled under Philbrick and that he spearheaded a $9 million capital campaign, a major museum campus expansion, and innovatic education programs.

Philbrick, 52, earned his MFA at Goldsmiths College, University of London, and has studied at Columbia University, Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design. His paintings have been exhibited in Great Britain and the United States.

Philbrick begins at the academy on March 1.

Contact culture writer Stephan Salisbury at 215-854-5594 or ssalisbury@phillynews.com

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