Tamara Wootton Forsyth

Tamara Wootton Forsyth has been on staff at the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) for nearly 25 years. She was appointed The Marcus-Rose Family Deputy Director in 2018 and took on the role of Interim Director in November of 2024. Over the course of her career at the DMA, she has held a variety of positions and contributed to collections, exhibitions, publications, facilities management, and several building projects. She has worked on many of the museum’s strategic initiatives, including the development of the DMA’s current strategic plan and overseeing the “Reimagining the DMA” architect selection process which culminated in the selection of Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos to redesign the museum’s campus. Prior to her time at the DMA, she worked at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art and interned at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. She received a Master of Arts in Art History from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art History from the University of North Texas. 

How has it been for you wearing two hats as both the deputy director and interim director? When you pivot back to deputy director, what will your focus be?

Pivoting back will be a continuation of what I’m currently doing in many ways. Much of my interim role is letting the fantastically talented staff do what they need to do and keeping the guardrails in place to keep us going until we have our new director, Brian Fariso, from the Portland Art Museum where he is currently overseeing a major renovation and expansion. I’m thrilled to have someone with that experience and who knows about architecture and cares about the history of a place.

How has the role and responsibility of the institution evolved during your time at the DMA?

When I came to the DMA in 2000, the museum was more enclosed architecturally than it is currently with actual walls around the building. The only other significant buildings were the Meyerson Symphony Center and the Trammell Crow building. Klyde Warren Park was still a freeway, and there were no residents on the weekend. Around our centennial in 2003, we broke down the walls and welcomed the Nasher Sculpture Center. When the AT&T Performing Arts Center and Booker T. Washington High School opened, the Dallas Arts District fully came to fruition. We have consistently focused on welcoming our neighboring community and adapting to the new urban environment. When the park opened, we renovated our front entrance, the Eagle Family Plaza, to be more welcoming. Truly embracing our front entrance, the design we are working on now is the next iteration of being more transparent and open. We are excited to have engaged Field Operations as our landscape architect for that space.

In the new design, what do you think is going to stay? What about the spirit of this building is worth keeping?

One of the reasons the architect selection committee selected Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos (NSA) is because of their respect and regard for Edward Larrabee Barnes and his original design intent. For example, when thinking through the placement of new programmatic elements, specifically the new Cloud Galleries, NSA considered how Barnes originally massed the building with the galleries and spaces arranged in different squares across the campus.

Another goal of this renovation is to clarify the visitor journey. NSA thought through how a visitor enters our building, how they are greeted, and how they know where to go next. The Hamon Atrium, for example, is currently a wonderful, big, soaring space, but it can be daunting, especially if you’re not used to entering museum spaces. Whether you’ve been here a hundred times or this is your very first time ever entering a museum, I’m excited for visitors to come in, feel embraced, and know where to go.

How is the museum focusing on sustainability?

In terms of economic sustainability, one of the goals that we have with this project is to become more self-sustainable. A key strategy is creating a new event space to help drive additional revenue as we take on an ambitious future. Regarding environmental sustainability, NSA’s submission was focused on sustainability from the beginning, which was very attractive to us. Being in Texas, we recognize it is up to us to make environmental sustainability a priority, and we are fully committed to that. The DMA earned LEED Silver certification several years ago, and we are hoping to achieve that standard well into the future.

Are there plans to bring in local voices?

Before the design competition, we did a facilities assessment with an architectural consultant. They conducted community listening sessions that informed how we went about our architect selection competition. With the competition, we also solicited feedback. We have thousands of notes from the public about what they want. We keep a log that tracks trends. There are a lot of people interested in indoor/outdoor experiences, food options, and communal spaces.

We engaged Perkins&Will to be the architect of record. They have a great track record of engaging the public. They know that engagement needs to be part of our process, and, working with NSA, will ensure that we incorporate that feedback into our project.

What does the DMA have to offer that other museums don’t?

The DMA is an “encyclopedic collection,” meaning we have art from around the world and from antiquity to the present day. In addition to being a global encyclopedic institution, we are also an important contemporary voice. We have a strong contemporary art program that will only strengthen in the coming years. We have amazing collectors in our community, and three major collections are promised to us that will bring in thousands of cutting-edge contemporary artworks. Artists can respond to what we have in our collection. People can experience contemporary art and see where it came from. So, we have that contemporary voice, but we have the entire world behind it.

It feels like culture and the arts are under attack right now. What does it really look like for this institution?

At the DMA, we are staying grounded in our mission and are determined to deliver it. We are not reacting out of fear. We are creating connection, inspiration, and learning every single day.

The museum is a refuge. We provide art education when schools can’t. We welcome children and families. We work with people experiencing homelessness. We give our community a place to find beauty, joy, and even just a moment of peace. What we do here matters. Now more than ever, access to art is essential.

What does advocacy look like for the everyday person?

Advocacy starts with showing up. Come to the DMA, bring a friend, and experience the power of the arts. Just as important is talking about that experience—sharing the impact art has on you and your family with your circle. Even better if you share that story with your elected officials, letting them know how much the support of the arts matters to you as a constituent. The arts are not an abstract idea or a political talking point—the arts are a vital part of a thriving community and every visit helps keep them alive in Dallas.

We host the Dallas Architecture Forum talks here, but beyond that, we do great design exhibitions. We have an exhibition coming up on contemporary jewelry—about artists thinking through what jewelry can be. I think that applies to the way architects think about materials and geometry. Engaging in those types of exhibitions is another way you can support.

From your point of view, what’s the hopeful future of the Dallas Museum of Art? 

We will continue past schematic design and embark on the expansion. For the next 25 years, the museum will open to the park side of the building, embracing the work that we do with communities, and continuing the work that we do throughout Dallas and the North Texas region.

Are there any final thoughts you want to leave us with?

The way we experience the world is because of artists and designers who imagined new possibilities. Art is essential to life, and it is important to talk about how it impacts you personally, how it impacts our community, and how it impacts the larger world.

I have been privileged to have a long career at the DMA, and I’m excited about our new director launching us into the next phase. I have worked on several defining projects for the DMA, but this new renovation will be on a scale beyond anything that has been done in generations. It’s exciting to be a part of it and to shape the next DMA.