Massachusetts Design Art and Technology Institute, DATMA, is Launched; Announces new Executive Director
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21st Century Museum to Feature International Art Exhibitions in New Bedford’s public spaces
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Long Time New Bedford Artist Lindsay Miś named Executive Director
New Bedford, MA – The Massachusetts Design Art and Technology Institute (DATMA) will launch this September. The institute is a 21st century museum based in New Bedford, Massachusetts with a goal to presents international exhibitions and programs showing the impact of new technologies in art and design, on educational, economic, and cultural life in the Southcoast Region and beyond. Exhibitions aim to highlight contemporary art, architecture, textile and fashion design and industrial design. This new “non-collecting” museum will focus on public installations, exhibitions and “pop ups” in New Bedford’s urban core of parks, public spaces and warehouses instead of hosting in traditional museum space.
DATMA seeks to showcase internationally acclaimed contemporary artists and designers, with a special focus on works concerned with environmental, political and social issues will be a central component of the programming. At the same time, it will seek to “introduce local artists and designers to the world,” said Roger Mandle, Chair of the DATMA Board of Trustees and past president of the Rhode Island School of Design.
“After years of research and much discussion in our region on how to enhance the artistic richness of the SouthCoast, we are proud to launch DATMA in New Bedford. We look forward to becoming a home to exhibit international contemporary art,” added Mandle. The other fifteen members of the Board of Trustees, most of whom live and work in the New England region, have great experience in areas that strengthen DATMA’s experience and global connections in art, philanthropy and business.
DATMA also announced that highly-regarded and longtime New Bedford artist Lindsay Miś has been selected as Executive Director. She comes to DATMA from the Society of Arts & Crafts where she was the Director of CraftBoston for the past three years. In this role she managed the development, budgeting and implementation of the semi-annual weekend-long exhibition and sale of contemporary craft which drew more than 8,000 visitors each year. Miś received her MFA in Jewelry Metals from UMass Dartmouth and her BFA in Craft/Material Studies from VCU. She maintains her metalsmithing practice in an old fiber mill in the SouthCoast.
Inspired by the growing wind energy industry in New Bedford, DATMA has begun to develop a series of exhibitions and programs for 2019, called New Bedford Summer Winds. The programming will incorporate local and international partners.
“DATMA is eager to be a cultural driver for the region by making international contemporary art and design accessible to the community, and by highlighting our vibrant arts community on a global stage,” said Miś. “We are excited to bring New Bedford to the world and to partner with the region’s acclaimed local arts and educational organizations,” she added.