Allison PEck

Allison Peck is a strategic planner and ideas lead for arts and museums, especially cultural institutions tackling big and ambitious projects that push the status quo. As director of external affairs and partnerships for the Smithsonian’s iconic Arts + Industries Building, she most recently reopened America’s storied first national museum as a space devoted to future thinking and innovation.

Over the last decade, Allison has spearheaded marketing, communications, and audience engagement for several museums, including the Smithsonian’s museums of modern art and Asian art—launching major architectural projects, digital platforms, blockbuster exhibitions, and crowdfunding campaigns. She is passionate about opening cultural spaces to all comers and blurring the boundaries between art, institutions, and the public they serve. She has an MA in arts administration from American University in D.C., and a dual BA in art history and strategic communications from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a frequent guest lecture and speaker on the field.