SAN FRANCISCO—After a year long search, the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) announced through email that they have appointed Gordon Knox as their new president.
The SFAI’s previous president was Charles Desmarais, who held the position from 2011-2015. He is now an art critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. Rachel Schreiber took over as interim president while the board searched for a replacement, and will return to her position as vice president following the uptake of Knox in the new role.
The San Francisco Art Institute is located on 800 Chestnut St. and has been operating in San Francisco since 1871. It’s the first higher education institution that is “dedicated to contemporary art,” as stated on the school’s website.
Knox is slated to begin his new position on January 23, 2017. Before moving to SF, he oversaw centers of arts and humanities at other institutions including the Arizona State University Art Museum in Tempe.
The SF Gate reported that SFAI’s Chairman Chris Tellis is eager for the arrival of Knox. Enrollment went “from about 700 students to between 500 and 600,” Tellis informed the SF Gate.
“It is an honor to be invited into this institution and to join its brilliant team as we explore 21st century challenges and opportunities,” Knox said in a statement.
