After helping launch the new campus for the Orange County Museum of Art, the institution’s CEO is stepping down at year’s end, officials announced Wednesday.
Heidi Zuckerman, who has been the art museum’s chief executive since 2021, said she will walk away when her contract ends in December. Zuckerman said she wants to focus on her art-focused podcast.
Zuckerman, the 13th director of the museum since it opened in 1962, oversaw the new 53,000-square-foot campus at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in 2022 that was designed by Murphosis Architects under the direction of Pritzker Prize winner Thom Mayne.
Museum officials say the new location drew 500,000 visitors in the two years since it opened, 12 times greater than the former annual attendance at its Newport Beach location, which was half the size. The new campus offers free admission for 10 years thanks to a gift from Lugano Diamonds.
“Serving as CEO and director of OCMA has been an extraordinary privilege, and I am deeply grateful to have played a role in shaping this institution and its connection to the community,” Zuckerman said. “The vision for a world-class contemporary art museum for the 21st century in Orange County has become a reality, embraced by visitors, artists, and supporters alike. As I look forward to what comes next, my commitment to the arts, to making art accessible for all and this vibrant cultural landscape remains unwavering.”
Zuckerman will help in the search for a new museum director.
David Emmes II, the chairman of the museum’s board of trustees, praised her as a “trailblazing force at OCMA, realizing a long-held dream of building and operating a new museum that is now a cornerstone of Orange County’s cultural landscape. Her dedication to bringing world-class exhibitions and thought-provoking programming to our community has elevated OCMA to unprecedented heights. Though it is always bittersweet when someone decides to embark on a new chapter, we are excited to witness the great strides Heidi will continue to make in expanding access to the arts.”
Zuckerman said she wants to focus more on her media company, HZ Inc., which includes her podcast About Art. She has also written several books on art and will focus more on her writing.