The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University has appointed Phillip Bahar as its next director. Bahar currently serves as the president and executive director of Chicago Humanities, which presents nearly 100 performances and conversations annually, featuring the most compelling authors, artists, policymakers and thinkers of our time. He will assume his new role on Nov. 1, 2025.
Bahar brings more than three decades of leadership in museums and humanities institutions, where he has developed civic, cultural and university partnerships and community-focused initiatives.
“Michigan State University welcomes Phillip to the MSU Broad Art Museum, our campus and the broader community,” said MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D. “The museum is more than a campus landmark; it is an integral part of the Spartan experience. Phillip’s demonstrated leadership in creating community through the arts will drive new conversations on campus, across Michigan and beyond.”
Under Bahar’s leadership, Chicago Humanities expanded its presence across Chicago neighborhoods, deepened partnerships and grew its endowment. Programs during his tenure featured artists such as Marina Abramović, Hebru Brantley, Theaster Gates, Miranda July, Sally Mann, Patti Smith and Ai Weiwei, alongside initiatives highlighting Chicago artists and issues.
Before joining Chicago Humanities, Bahar was chief of operations and administration at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. He has also held leadership roles with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Performing Arts Chicago; and the Kitchen Center for the Arts in New York City. He is an adjunct instructor with Johns Hopkins University, where he teaches classes in museum studies.
“Phillip is an experienced arts leader who has a track record of turning organizations into part of the vital infrastructure of their communities,” said Judith Stoddart, vice provost for University Arts and Collections. “At Chicago Humanities, he brought leading figures into community conversations, partnering with universities and cultural institutions across the city. At the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, he was part of the team that brought that multidisciplinary museum into the city and invited communities to use their creativity to make the museum’s campus a thriving public commons. That kind of activation is exactly what Arts MSU is about: embedding the arts into the life of the campus and community in a way that is unique to this place.”
Bahar serves on the Board of Arts Alliance Illinois, co-founded the Art Museum Marketing Association and has served on advisory and accreditation committees with the American Alliance of Museums. He holds a master’s in arts administration from Columbia University and a bachelor’s from Brandeis University.
“Throughout my career, I’ve seen how powerful it can be when a museum is a true civic partner — connecting students, faculty and the wider community in ways that extend beyond the museum’s walls,” said Bahar. “At the MSU Broad Art Museum, I look forward to forging partnerships across Michigan, the region and nationally, introducing new artistic voices and creating meaningful shared experiences.”
