The Amon Carter Museum of American Art’s longtime leader is leaving by August’s end.
Andrew J. Walker, who has served as executive director of the Fort Worth museum since 2011, will step down Aug. 31, museum officials announced Monday.
“I have been honored to lead the Carter for the past fourteen years and watch it evolve into the impactful institution it is today,” Walker said in a statement. “Given all that we have accomplished together, it feels like the right moment for me to depart and allow a new leader to take the helm as the Carter plans for its future.”
Karen Hixon, president of the board of trustees, said in a statement that Walker carried forward the vision of museum founder Ruth Carter Stevenson.
“Andrew came to understand her passion and vision and continued to ably lead the Museum through the transition years and beyond,” Hixon, Carter Stevenson’s daughter, said. “We are grateful for all he has done to set the Carter on such a strong path for its future.”
Scott Wilcox, the museum’s chief operating officer, will serve as interim director while the board searches for a permanent replacement.
During Walker’s tenure, the Carter expanded its collections and endowment, renovated its galleries and launched new initiatives to bring art into the Fort Worth community, officials said.
In 2019, he oversaw a renovation that widened exhibition spaces and added a website that allowed its visitors to explore the museum’s collection online.
The Carter expanded its photography vaults and opened the Gentling Study Center, which supports research into under-studied American artists.
Walker emphasized local outreach during his leadership, museum officials said in a statement.
He prioritized access to art for everyone, Wilcox said, creating new paths of engagement with visitors through the community and championing acquisitions by a wide array of American artists.
“His impact will be felt at the Carter for years to come, and also throughout Fort Worth,” Wilcox said in a statement to the Report.
In 2018, the museum launched the Carter Community Artists initiative, which connects area artists with the public. The museum also developed partnerships across North Texas to expand its reach beyond Fort Worth, officials said.
Exhibitions under his tenure reflected a push to broaden the story of American art by diversifying the museum’s collection, the statement said.
For example, he spearheaded a photography initiative that amplified Indigenous contributions to American art, bringing in work from more than 10 Native American photographers.
In 2024, the museum drew attention with “Cowboy,” a show that challenged stereotypes of Western culture by featuring works that presented cowboys as Black, Asian American, Native, LGBTQIA+ and women.
The exhibition sparked conversation in Fort Worth after the Carter suddenly closed it briefly and then reopened it with a “mature content” warning.
Museum leaders said at the time they wanted visitors to preview the works in advance after receiving feedback. “Cowboy” remained on view through March 2025.
Notable exhibitions under Walker
Museum trustees will begin a national search for Walker’s successor in the coming weeks.
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
Related
Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.
Republish This Story
Republishing is free for noncommercial entities. Commercial entities are prohibited without a licensing agreement. Contact us for details.