General
What is the Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums?
The Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums (BTA) is a nonprofit membership organization founded by and for Black trustees of art museums in North America. BTA crafts and commissions programming, research, and communications to help trustees increase the inclusion of Black perspectives and narratives in their institutions.
Is BTA a registered 501(c)(3)?
BTA is a fiscally sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that provides support in governance, management and operational infrastructure to charitable organizations.
What do museum trustees do, and why are they the focus of BTA’s work?
A museum’s board of trustees is responsible for the oversight of the institution’s management and operations. Along with legal and fiduciary responsibilities, trustees have a material role in shaping an institution’s direction and may be accountable for such decisions as executive hiring, policy making, resource allocation, and strategic planning. BTA is helping Black trustees direct their institutions toward a more equitable and inclusive future so that these cultural leaders can better hold art museums accountable for embracing the full and complex histories of the visual culture that they represent.
How can I get involved in BTA’s work?
There are several ways to get involved with BTA:
- Become a member to receive access to member-only programs and digital resources
- Donate to support BTA’s programming and operations
- Email admin@blacktrusteealliance.org if your organization may be interested in building an institutional partnership with BTA
- Subscribe to the BTA newsletter (coming soon) to stay up to date on the organization’s work
I am a Black trustee. How can I connect with others in this community?
BTA brings members together through programming and digital discussion platforms. Black trustees can connect by attending the organization’s virtual and in-person events (examples of which include confidential member conversations, lectures by leaders in the field, and the BTA Annual Convening) and by directly messaging one another in the BTA Member Community (coming soon).
I work for a museum or arts-related organization. How can we partner with BTA?
BTA is open to partnerships with organizations whose values align with our own. If your organization is interested in partnering with BTA, send an inquiry to admin@blacktrusteealliance.org.
For whom is the BTA Job Board?
The BTA Job Board exists to facilitate the recruitment and hiring of BIPOC professionals in the museum field. Given that purpose, the Job Portal is intended for two primary audiences:
- BIPOC professionals seeking museum opportunities
- Recruiters seeking BIPOC candidates for museum opportunities.
- If either of these categories is relevant to you, visit the BTA Job Board to learn more.
Research
Why are you doing this study?
We are undertaking the 2025 Art Museum Trustee Study to equip the field to tackle the most pressing issues facing art museum governance today. Building on the BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustee Study, this timely research initiative will track how the role of trustees is shifting over time while also opening new lines of inquiry into how board perspectives shape the institutions they serve – and the field at large.
Through this study, we aim to equip museum leaders, boards, and art funders with critical knowledge about today’s governance landscape and identify potential implications for the future. By examining the key dimensions of trustee influence and effectiveness, board culture, and current governance priorities, our findings will strengthen art museums’ collective capacity for sustainable impact.
Who can participate in this survey?
We are inviting all trustees currently serving on art museum fiduciary boards in the United States to share their perspective by completing the survey.
Why should I participate?
By participating in this critical research, you will shape a clearer portrait of where art museum governance is today and where it is headed. Your insights will ensure that the trustee perspective is fully represented, capturing both the challenges and opportunities you encounter in your role. The findings will not only provide benchmarks and best practices for boards nationwide, but also highlight the concrete ways trustees can strengthen their influence, effectiveness, and impact.
Is this research only using survey data?
In addition to collecting survey data, we are conducting 20 follow-up interviews to amplify and extend the range of insights we receive through the survey data. We've found that follow-up interviews are particularly powerful for unpacking unexpected findings and amplifying the impact of key results. By pairing the qualitative "hows" and "whys" of trustee experiences with quantitative data about scale, these interviews will support statistics through lived experiences, offering insights that can be translated into actionable steps and replicated across the field. You may indicate your interest in participating in an interview upon completing the survey.
What kinds of questions are you asking?
Our research examines the full scope of trustee engagement, from the onboarding support available to new trustees, to the role they play in the boardroom, to the ways they champion staff and institutional priorities. It also investigates trustee perspectives on board culture, influence, and power, as well as the factors that make trustees most and least effective.
How long do the surveys take?
We expect the survey to take 8-12 minutes to complete (this is an estimate that we will update when the survey is finalized).
Will you be collecting any personal identifiable information in the survey?
The survey does not collect any personally identifiable information unless you choose to share it. At the end of the survey, you will have the option to indicate if you would like to be contacted for follow-up interviews or additional research opportunities. If you opt in, your contact information will only be used for that purpose and kept separate from your survey responses.
How will this data be managed?
As BTA’s research partner, SMU DataArts will securely store and maintain data records in the cloud at Amazon Web Services (AWS). All data hosted at AWS is secured and backed up at regular intervals. Survey data is collected via the survey management platform Alchemer and is protected by AWS global infrastructure as well as the Open Web Application Security Project (WOWASP) standards during software development process (see here for more).
Data and metadata are preserved indefinitely on secure servers as well as via Alchemer. This preservation allows for future research that might include comparative analysis of multiple studies or probing the data if new research questions arise.
How is this study different from other board research?
This study explores new lines of inquiry like what influences the impact of trustees and the rate of trustee retention, deepens prior explorations of board governance and effectiveness, and updates our understanding of the current priorities of trustees. There are just a few national studies of art museum trustees, and this work both builds upon – and goes beyond - the BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustee study and the periodic study of Museum Board Leadership provided by the American Alliance of Museums. In addition, this study has been designed to be in conversation with relevant research on the staff culture of art museums by Museums Moving Forward and the finances of the museums represented through SMU DataArts.
What is the timeline?
The survey will launch in October 2025 and will be open through the end of the calendar year. All surveys must be completed within this period. Interviews will be conducted in January 2026. Following data analysis and report development in Spring/Summer 2026, the final report will be released in Fall 2026.
Can I share a link to this survey with other trustees in my network?
Yes! We encourage you to share the survey fellow art museum trustees to encourage maximum participation.
I have another question not listed here. Who should I contact?
Please email us at: help@culturaldata.org
Job Board
What is the Black Trustee Alliance Job Board?
The Black Trustee Alliance Job Board is a platform dedicated to connecting talented diverse candidates with job opportunities in art museums and cultural institutions that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in their hiring practices.
Who can use the Black Trustee Alliance Job Board?
The Job Board is open to all members of the Black Trustee Alliance community, including professionals in art museums, cultural institutions, and related fields who are committed to promoting diversity in their organizations.
How do I access the Black Trustee Alliance Job Board?
You can access the job board here.
How do I post a job listing on the Black Trustee Alliance Job Board?
Employers and organizations interested in posting job listings can do so by creating a Black Trustee Alliance account here and accessing the Job Board section. From there, follow the instructions to submit a new job listing.
Are there any fees associated with posting job listings on the Black Trustee Alliance Job Board?
Yes, the fee for posting on the job board is the following: ($100), 60 days ($175), or 90 days ($250).
How long will my job listing remain active on the Black Trustee Alliance Job Board?
Job listings typically remain active on the Job Board for 30, 60, or 90 days. After this period, they will automatically expire.
Employers may choose to renew or remove their job listings at any time.
Can I edit or remove my job listing after it has been posted?
Yes, employers have the option to edit or remove their job listings at any time. Simply log in to your Black Trustee Alliance account, navigate to the Job Board section, and select the desired action for your listing.
How can I receive updates on new job listings posted to the Black Trustee Alliance Job Board?
You can follow us on our LinkedIn, Instagram.
Who should I contact if I encounter any issues or have questions about the Black Trustee Alliance Job Board?
Should you experience any difficulties or have inquiries related to the BTA Job Board, please reach out to our coordinator, Anta, at anta@blacktrusteealliance.org.
Membership
Who is eligible for membership, and how much does it cost?
During BTA’s inaugural year, 2021, we have been delighted to offer free membership to all eligible individuals--Black trustees of North American art museums. BTA membership will continue to be free until the spring of 2022, at which time BTA will launch our paid membership program for all subsequent enrollments and renewals. To enroll as a member or to learn more about the upcoming changes in our membership structure, see Become a Member.
Donations
Where does my donation go?
BTA relies on donations to support our programs and initiatives. If you would like to support a specific element of our work, please send us an email at admin@blacktrusteealliance.org. We would love to talk.
Is my donation tax deductible?
BTA’s fiscal sponsor, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, is a 501(c)(3) public charity that accepts donations on the organization’s behalf. Donations to BTA are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law and will be processed by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.