Deana Haggag Joins The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation as Program Officer for Arts & Culture
(NEW YORK, NY – March 12, 2021)The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation today announced the appointment of renowned arts advocate Deana Haggag as Program Officer in its Arts and Culture program area, effective May 17, 2021. As part of her role, Haggag will help shape grantmaking initiatives and develop innovative projects to support a diverse group of artists and cultural institutions across the country. Her work will primarily focus on artists and organizations working outside traditional boundaries and institutional walls.
Haggag joins the Foundation after her four-year tenure as president and CEO of United States Artists, a Chicago-based organization that offers fellowships to artists across multiple disciplines.
“For years, Deana has been a passionate advocate for artists and the essential role that they play in our society, and we are thrilled to have such a dynamic and creative leader joining the Mellon Foundation,” said Elizabeth Alexander, President of the Mellon Foundation. “After working in partnership with Deana on critical artist funding initiatives in recent years, it is clear that she is committed to transforming the future of the arts with an eye towards equity, and we look forward to her bringing her singular talents to our Arts and Culture program area.”
With more than ten years' experience in the arts and nonprofit leadership, Haggag has established herself as an influential voice in the arts and philanthropy. During her time at United States Artists, she championed unrestricted advocacy initiatives for artists and spearheaded Artist Relief—a nearly $25 million effort to support artists experiencing financial emergencies, particularly those disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Her fearless leadership of economic recovery efforts for the arts embodies the Mellon Foundation’s mission to provide critical resources to the arts and humanities sectors to promote equity and creativity....