Brett John Johnson, MFA, CPA

Brett is an arts and community leader, curator, interpreter, and innovator with over 15 years of experience. He began his career in Wilmington, DE, as Studio Programs Manager at the Delaware Art Museum. He later moved to the greater Washington, DC, region, where he served in key roles including Gallery Director at VisArts in Rockville, MD; Exhibition Specialist at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden; and Preparator at the Corcoran Gallery of Art - both in Washington, DC.

In 2012, Brett became Director of Visual Arts at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, VA. There, he led teams of staff and artists across seven studio and gallery buildings, producing numerous exhibitions across a historic former prison campus, once used to incarcerate heroes of the Suffragist movement.

Most recently, Brett served as Director of the Torpedo Factory Art Center and Curator of Artistic Advancement for the City of Alexandria. Home to the nation’s largest community of publicly accessible working-artist studios under one roof, the Art Center welcomes more than 500,000 visitors annually. After his start in 2017, Brett oversaw the production of acclaimed exhibitions and public programs, while forging partnerships with organizations such as Virginia Tech’s Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology, Amazon, the New York Foundation for the Arts, the USO, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. His work consistently emphasized creativity as a driver of community engagement.

Brett’s mission is to use art and culture as catalysts for community development, nurturing creativity, curiosity, and resiliency. He values creativity, excellence, equity, collaboration, and transparency. In 2022, he completed executive training through the George Washington University’s Center for Excellence in Public Leadership and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Institute for Regional Excellence. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master of Fine Arts from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture.

“I’m excited to contribute to The Delaware Contemporary’s legacy,” said Brett. “Building on the exceptional work of the staff, board, and artists, I look forward to guiding the institution into its next quarter-century on Wilmington’s waterfront—and in 2029, celebrating its 50th year of serving the community. Centered in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic, I envision The Delaware Contemporary as a creative engine for the region with art as an essential part of everyone’s lives, and a contributor to the national dialogue on contemporary art.”