CRISTIAN PETRU PANAITE
Queens,NY
Summary
Innovative multidisciplinary nonprofit professional with over a decade of experience in the cultural space. Skilled in content curation, creative direction, and project coordination. Resourceful in shaping impactful exhibitions that set new visitation records. Creative problem-solver with a talent for envisioning exciting avenues for partnerships. Interested in working with organizations that support immigrants and community development through arts and culture.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Exhibitions and Interpretation
The New York Botanical Garden
10.2022 - 03.2023
- Responsible for planning, curation, and implementation of multidisciplinary art, science, and horticulture exhibitions. Supervised Exhibition Project Manager, Manager of Interpretive Content, Registrar
- Envisioned and curated poetry path for Orchid Show
- Coordinated with guest artist and internal parties installation of Re-Orcharding New York: The Work of Sam Van Aken
- Researched and ideated future Holiday Train Show exhibitions
- For future summer show: connected with key scholars for advisory committee, engaged with international institutions and private lenders; created working checklist and walkthrough
Curator of Exhibitions ↖ Associate ↖ Assistant
New-York Historical Society Museum & Library
01.2017 - 10.2022
- Planned, researched, curated, and oversaw the production and installation of: Bruce McCall's New York (2022), The Gift of Laughter (2021), Summer of Magic: Treasures from the David Copperfield Collection (2018); Tattooed New York (2017). Special installations: The NY Urban League at 100; Sound of Resilience: NY's Liberty Bell; History Responds: A Shot at Hope; Collecting in the Time of COVID; Remember 9/11
- Managed and coordinated incoming loan shows, augmenting them with new content for New York audiences that boosted visitation: "I'll Have What She's Having", The Jewish Deli, a Skirball Cultural Center in LA exhibition (2022); Bob Hope and World War II, a National WWII Museum exhibition (2021); Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution, a Skirball Cultural Center in LA exhibition (2020); Harry Potter: A History of Magic, a British Library exhibition (2018).
- Strategized with partner institutions and guest curators, aligned project visions, and co-curated Mark Twain and the Holy Land (2019) organized with Shapell Manuscript Foundation; Rebel Spirits: RFK and MLK Jr (2018) organized with Larry Schiller Productions
- Curated and produced content for interactives, audio tours, video documentaries, and digital experiences (i.e. Ever Upward: Resilience and Recovery in New York on Bloomberg Connects)
- Hired and oversaw external vendors including AV and interactive media production companies
- Promoted historic preservation: envisioned and coordinated the hosting of New York's Liberty Bell
- Researched and identified diverse artworks and artifacts for inclusion in the museum collection
- Drafted and reviewed exhibition interpretive content
- Identified fundraising opportunities and found innovative ways to feature major sponsors. Performed community outreach and cultivated partnerships with external stakeholders
- Coordinated and streamlined communication between internal departments and external stakeholders
- Conducted tours, lectures, interviews and closely worked with social media manager to create content that boosted attendance.
Research Associate
New-York Historical Society
10.2014 - 12.2016
- Collaborated with Museum of Democracy, researched and curated the timely Campaigning for Presidency 1960-1972 (2016)
- As assistant curator closely worked with the Chief Curator on all the production aspects of Silicon City: Computer History Made in New York (2015) from ideation to content research and checklist
- Developed specialized exhibit content for institutional donor, implemented innovative ways of featuring sponsored content
- Discovered and secured the loan of one-of-a-kind objects increasing exhibition's reach and marketability
- Coordinated among dozens of lenders, educational institutions, tech start-ups and corporations (IBM, Bell Labs, ATT, Google, Etsy, LinkNYC, Cornell Tech) in fine-tuning the exhibition message.
Research Development Coordinator
Refugee And Immigrant Fund
01.2014 - 09.2014
- Collaborated in planning of new fundraising strategies, targeted donors, and envisioned ways of expanding program.
- Organized grant proposal materials, edited LOI, identified specific grant expenditures which led to successful grant approval
- Drafted materials for sponsor and donor outreach; connected with print media; fostered connections with nonprofit organizations
Education
Master of Arts - Humanities: Aesthetic Studies
The University of Texas At Dallas
Richardson, TX08.2013
Master of Arts - Theatre: Playwriting
Miami University
Oxford, OH08.2007
Bachelor of Arts - Liberal Arts
Bennington College
Bennington, VT06.2005
Skills
- Content Curation
- Content Developer
- Creative Solutions
- Educational Program Planning
- Event Planning
- Exhibition Development
- Fundraising
- Grant Applications
- Negotiations
- Outreach Strategies
- Project Management
- Strategic Communication
Accomplishments
- Work favorably reviewed and covered by ABC, BBC, CBS, and in the New Yorker, New York Times, New York Post, New York Magazine, People, TIME, Vice, Wall Street Journal, among other.
- “If you want to see transformation that changes the body and mind equally, here it is." Tattooed New York (2017), The New York Times
- "It was extremely well done! Very informative and fun. I am proud to be a member of this great museum.” [trustee review of virtual event sent to CEO]
- "We enclose this donation in honor of Cristian Panaite. In the new year we will also join the Council he introduced us to.” [museum member]
Timeline
Director of Exhibitions and Interpretation
The New York Botanical Garden
10.2022 - 03.2023
Curator of Exhibitions ↖ Associate ↖ Assistant
New-York Historical Society Museum & Library
01.2017 - 10.2022
Research Associate
New-York Historical Society
10.2014 - 12.2016
Research Development Coordinator
Refugee And Immigrant Fund
01.2014 - 09.2014
Master of Arts - Humanities: Aesthetic Studies
The University of Texas At Dallas
Master of Arts - Theatre: Playwriting
Miami University
Bachelor of Arts - Liberal Arts
Bennington College
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