Head of Long Beach MOLAA steps down for a new position in New Mexico

In the midst of its 20th aiversary, the head of the Museum of Latin American Art is stepping down.

Museum officials aounced Tuesday that after five years at the helm of the 15,000-square-foot museum Stuart Ashman, MOLAA’s president and CEO, will step down at the end of July.

The museum board will meet on June 7 to discuss a succession plan, Ashman said in a phone interview shortly after the Tuesday afteoon aouncement.

“I hope that the people of Long Beach will continue to recognize and support this wonderful treasure that is the Museum of Latin American Art,” he said.

Ashman said he is leaving the museum to move back home to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he lived for 34 years prior to coming to Long Beach. He’s accepted a position there as executive director for the Center for Contemporary Arts, and starts his new job in August.

“My wife and I wanted to get back to Santa Fe and this (new job) opened up,” he said.

“My excitement is curbed by the fact that I’m leaving something that I really love,” he added.

Ashman started at the museum in September 2011. While his tenure here was relatively short, it was nevertheless significant as he lead the institution through a couple of major changes and accomplishments.

Last year the museum received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums, which is the highest national recognition for a museum.

Only about 850 out of the more than 20,000 museums in the U.S. are AAM accredited.

The recognition ensures that facilities meet certain standards, which among other things enables the museum to borrow works and collections from major institutions around the world that would otherwise not lend priceless pieces to unaccredited venues.

Ashman, who grew up in Cuba before moving to the U.S with his family at the age of 12 , also spearheaded a MOLAA resolution last year to refocus its mission and expand its scope to include more works by Latino diaspora artists.

Prior to that change the museum had focused solely on mode and contemporary artists from Latin America.

MOLAA’s first venture into this new territory was last year’s Sept. 19-Nov. 15 exhibit titled “Somewhere Over El Arco Iris/Chicano Landscapes, 1971-2015,” which focused solely on Southe Califoia-based Chicano artists.

“In the last five years with help of staff and board we’ve been able to achieve a lot,” Ashman said.

In a joint statement Mike Deovlet and Dr. Robert Braun, co-chairmen of the museum, thanked Ashman for his leadership.

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“We are appreciative of Stuart’s many accomplishments at MOLAA and wish him much success in the future,” the pair stated.

About 63,000 people visited MOLAA last year, which was a record year. Approximately 70,000 visitors are expected this year.