UA Little Rock names Brian Young as new art gallery director

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock named Brian Young as the new gallery director for the Windgate Center of Art + Design. Young brings more than three decades of experience in university galleries and archives to the role.

“I am very excited to join UA Little Rock,” Young said. “UA Little Rock has given a great deal of priority to the visual arts. The Windgate Center of Art + Design is an impressive space. There is a very experienced staff here, including Nathan Larson, assistant gallery director, as well as a great permanent art collection to work with. Everything about this position seems to be a really great fit, and I look forward to bringing exhibitions to campus that will really inspire our student body, staff, and visitors.”

Young has a background in curating and managing art exhibitions.

“We are very excited about this opportunity to work with Brian!” said Joli Livaudais, interim director of the School of Art and Design at UA Little Rock. “He has years of experience working with both highly respected museums and university galleries. He has already begun to line up exciting exhibitions that will inspire our students and engage the community of Little Rock.”

As part of his first curation at UA Little Rock, Young is revitalizing the gallery in the Fine Arts Building that has been dormant since the School of Art and Design moved to the Windgate Center at the start of 2018.

“The gallery corridor in Fine Arts is a busy place on campus, and we are elated to reinvigorate the space with exciting exhibitions curated by Brian,” said Dr. Sarah Beth Estes, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education. “The first exhibition, ‘Y Tho’ by Amanda Burnham, will open on Aug. 26. Burnham will appear for a lecture in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall on Sept. 12 at 5:30 p.m., at which time we will also celebrate Young joining UA Little Rock.”

Young is joining UA Little Rock from the University of Central Arkansas, where he served as director of the Baum Gallery from 2016 to 2024. He made his first move to Arkansas in 1997, when he served as curator of art and drawings for the Arkansas Arts Center, which is now the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, until 2006.

Young has also worked as the curator of the Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, curator of Academy Art Museum in Easton, Maryland, senior curator at the University of Maryland University College, and curator of cultural properties at John Hopkins Medical Institutions.

Young earned his bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree in art history from Ohio State University, as well as a certificate in art appraisal studies from New York University.

He has also served as an adjunct instructor, teaching classes at Ohio State University, Ohio Dominican University, Salisbury University, University of Maryland University College, and UCA.

He is a member of the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries and the Professional Appraisers Round Table and regularly serves as a juror for art competitions.