ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Kevin Tervala appointed chief of curatorial affairs at Minneapolis Institute of Art

institutional · 2026-07-17

Beginning September 8, Kevin Tervala will assume the position of chief of curatorial affairs and exhibitions at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia). Tervala holds a Ph.D. in African studies from Harvard and previously served as the chief curator at the Baltimore Museum of Art, a role he entered in 2015 as a curatorial fellow focused on various art forms. Noteworthy exhibitions he has curated include "A Perfect Power: Motherhood and African Art" and "Kuba: Fabric of an Empire." At Mia, he will lead a curatorial team managing an extensive collection of around 90,000 artworks. Director Katie Luber commended his intellectual insight and vision.

Key facts

  • Kevin Tervala appointed chief of curatorial affairs and exhibitions at Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia).
  • Tervala holds a Ph.D. in African studies from Harvard University.
  • He previously served as chief curator at Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) for three years.
  • At BMA, he curated A Perfect Power: Motherhood and African Art and Kuba: Fabric of an Empire.
  • He helped arrange the last-minute arrival of Amy Sherald: American Sublime after the artist canceled a Washington, D.C., stop.
  • At BMA, Tervala oversaw 50 staff across ten departments.
  • Mia's collection includes 90,000 objects representing six continents.
  • Tervala's first day at Mia is September 8.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

Locations

  • Minneapolis
  • Baltimore
  • Washington, D.C.
  • St. Paul
  • Minnesota
  • United States

Sources