Robert Fitzpatrick (art executive)
Encyclopedia
Robert Fitzpatrick is an art academic and executive, entrepreneur and former politician. In 1972, he was elected as Baltimore
, Maryland's youngest city council member while also serving as a professor of medieval French literature and dean of students, at Johns Hopkins University
. Time Magazine named him one of its "200 Faces for the Future" in 1974. In 1975, Fitzpatrick was named president of CalArts, where he remained for 12 years. During his tenure there, Fitzpatrick served as the director of the 1984 Olympic Arts Festival in Los Angeles, California. He was also the founder and director of the Los Angeles Festival, which grew directly out of the 1984 Olympic Games
. In 1987 he was named president of the Euro Disney Resort, a complex that, at the time, consisted of a theme park: Euro Disneyland
, 7 resort hotels and a dining, entertainment and shopping district: Festival Disney
. The resort opened in April 1992, and Fitzpatrick left the company following year. In 1996, Fitzpatrick became the dean of the School of the Arts at Columbia University
in New York City, serving there for two years. He joined the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago
as its Director and CEO in 1998, holding the longest tenure of any director to date. During his time there, MCA was awarded the Arts Presenters/MetLife Foundation Award for Excellence in Arts Access. In February 2008 Fitzpatrick left his position at MCA to join the London-based (and Christie's
-owned) gallery Haunch of Venison
as its international managing director, where he oversaw the opening of Haunch New York, housed in NYC's Rockefeller Center
. Fitzpatrick stepped down from that post in March 2009.
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland's youngest city council member while also serving as a professor of medieval French literature and dean of students, at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
. Time Magazine named him one of its "200 Faces for the Future" in 1974. In 1975, Fitzpatrick was named president of CalArts, where he remained for 12 years. During his tenure there, Fitzpatrick served as the director of the 1984 Olympic Arts Festival in Los Angeles, California. He was also the founder and director of the Los Angeles Festival, which grew directly out of the 1984 Olympic Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
. In 1987 he was named president of the Euro Disney Resort, a complex that, at the time, consisted of a theme park: Euro Disneyland
Disneyland Park (Paris)
Disneyland Park is a theme park at Disneyland Paris, a resort complex just outside of Paris, in the new town of Marne-la-Vallée, France. The first of two parks built at the resort, it opened as Euro Disneyland on 12 April, 1992...
, 7 resort hotels and a dining, entertainment and shopping district: Festival Disney
Disney Village
Disney Village is a shopping, dining and entertainment complex in Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, France. Originally named Festival Disney, it opened April 12, 1992 with what was then the Euro Disney Resort and originally covered an area of approximately 18,000 m².Based on Walt Disney World's...
. The resort opened in April 1992, and Fitzpatrick left the company following year. In 1996, Fitzpatrick became the dean of the School of the Arts at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York City, serving there for two years. He joined the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is a contemporary art museum near Water Tower Place in downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The museum, which was established in 1967, is one of the world's largest contemporary art venues...
as its Director and CEO in 1998, holding the longest tenure of any director to date. During his time there, MCA was awarded the Arts Presenters/MetLife Foundation Award for Excellence in Arts Access. In February 2008 Fitzpatrick left his position at MCA to join the London-based (and Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
-owned) gallery Haunch of Venison
Haunch of Venison
Haunch of Venison is a commercial art gallery founded in 2002 in the West End of London. The gallery represents leading contemporary artists with branches in London, Berlin and New York.-History:...
as its international managing director, where he oversaw the opening of Haunch New York, housed in NYC's Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
. Fitzpatrick stepped down from that post in March 2009.