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Philadelphia Art Museum Ousts Director Sasha Suda After Contentious Rebrand

The board has not disclosed a reason for the termination, with a deputy director handling daily operations during the interim search.

Overview

  • Suda was removed on November 4 following an emergency board meeting, ending her tenure a little over three years into a five-year contract.
  • Multiple outlets report she was notified by email that her employment was terminated "for cause," a detail the museum has not explained publicly.
  • Deputy director Louis Marchesano is overseeing daily operations as trustees identify an interim director and CEO.
  • The October rebrand changed the name to Philadelphia Art Museum, introduced a new logo and the "PhAM" shorthand, cost at least $250,000, drew online mockery, and left some trustees saying they were not shown the final rollout.
  • The institution continues to face lagging attendance, multi-year deficits, deferred projects including the closed Perelman Building, and staff turnover such as the quiet exit of curator Carlos Basualdo.