Claire D’Alba is an Assistant Curator for the Art in Embassies Program
at the United States Department of State in Washington, DC.
After graduating from Carleton in 2001 with a BA in Art History, I held a variety of positions, including editor of “Forward” magazine,an educational magazine aimed at high school students, and associate
consultant Campbell and Company, a Chicago-based philanthropic consulting firm. I left Campbell to pursue my masters in Art History at the University of Virginia, which I completed in 2005. My graduate
thesis explored the role of contemporary art in American homes.
For the past five years, I have been an Assistant Curator with the Art in Embassies. I work on both temporary exhibitions and permanent collections for US embassies overseas; some of my favorite projects were in China, Morocco, Rwanda, and Uzbekistan. When I’m not assisting the Chief Curator on larger projects, I oversee my own, smaller, exhibitions from start to finish. After developing and researching exhibition concepts, I identify potential artists through consultation with scholars, curators, art dealers, and artists; and independent research. I negotiate acquisitions and loans from
emerging and established artists, museums, dealers, and private collectors. In support of the State Department’s outreach and public programs, I develop, draft, and edit the catalog and publications
surrounding each exhibition. I also supervise overseas installations, and educate Embassy staff on the collection and proper stewardship, and work with embassy public affairs officers to plan lectures,
gallery talks, and public programs surrounding the exhibitions.
Majoring in art history was a wonderful experience and has served me well. I would be happy to talk to current students about life after Carleton.