Sara Vanderbeek is an interdisciplinary artist, curator, and organizer who creates concept-driven series focused on community arts-based activations and social practice. Her work contextualizes autobiographical experiences and responds to culture, politics, mental illness, and trauma. She has engaged in projects at venues nationally, including The Contemporary Austin (Austin, TX); McNay Art Museum (San Antonio, TX); Deitch Projects (New York, NY); and the 2013 Texas Biennial at Blue Star Contemporary (San Antonio, TX). In 2020, she and her partner Eric Manche collaborated on a mural for the Facebook lobby as part of their Open Arts residency program. The couple also co-founded DORF, a 501c3 non-profit organization and experimental gallery that provides space for artists, community organizing, and activism, where Vanderbeek serves as Executive Director and Curator. She was a founding member of ICOSA Gallery in East Austin where she served as president and treasurer. She is the recipient of numerous awards including “Best New Experimental Art Space” by the Austin Chronicle and grants from the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department. Most recently, she was a finalist for the 2022 Artpace International Artist-In-Residence Program and is a 2021-22 Interchange Fellow, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance. Vanderbeek's projects have been covered by Texas Monthly, The Austin Chronicle, Glasstire, Sightlines, Southwest Contemporary, Arts and Culture Texas, ArtDaily, and more. She received her BFA from Rhode Island School of Design in 2003.www.saravanderbeek.com

As an independent Art Advisor, Vanderbeek helps build and/or sell small-to-large budget, private and public art collections and estates. She has facilitated more than $7M in artwork sales of more than 4,000 works. Responsibilities include: Appraisals, condition reporting, artist liaison; inventory and collection management; storage, installation, and shipping services. Client collaborations include Texas Municipal Retirement Services (TMRS), University Health, Generational Commercial Properties, HTZ Investments, the Estate of Marcia King, the Estate of Reginald Rowe, and the Estate of Jessica Olsen and Justin Ishmael.

DORF is an artist-run non-profit organization located in Austin, Texas. We are an experimental space that produces culturally and socially responsive art programming, and provides space for expression and innovation.We have used our space and programming as an advocacy platform for social change, and an exhibition and gathering space for Austin and Texas-based artists and the community.

Co–Curator and Budget Manager of Salud-Arte, a 7.2M public art program for University Health in San Antonio with Allison Hays Lane, Director of Olana Group. Placed over 1500 pieces of art, made by over 350 artists. Collecting focused on regional and emerging artists, and also includes national and internationally recognized names. Duties included: budget management; artist liaison; art purchasing from galleries, printmaking publishers and artist studios; cataloguing and condition reporting; graphic design; authoring public calls for art; framing; collection management and development including art conservation, installation, inventory and storage services. We completed the project on time and under budget.

Reported to Chief Curator/Curator of Art after 1945. Coordinated curatorial programs including correspondence, scheduling, purchase orders, budgets, equipment requests, and other logistical arrangements. Collaborated with Cheif Curator, Collection Manager, and Education department in planning, devoloping, and organizing exhibitions. Designed and worked with vendors to produce all exhibition graphics including text panels, objects labels, credit lines, and educational information to museum’s graphic standard; co-edited texts with Curator of Education. Managed and planed all logistical arrangements for auxiliary group, McNay Contemporary Collectors Forum, including all related events including in- and out-of-state member trips, gallery visits, monthly film series, artist talks, meetings, collector home visits, and produced all associated graphics and communications. (www.mcnayart.org)

Catalogued prints in a range of media from Old Masters through Contemporary for four annual sales. Appraised prints and provided auction estimates for prospective consignors/clients. Supplied thorough condition reports for each print; laid out, proofread, image-checked and provided assistance for catalogue production. Managed high volumes of incoming property with department Art Handler, Shipping and Receiving departments. Liaised with clients regarding condition and other details of each lot offered for sale. Managed sub-contracts with Paper Conservators, Framers, and Matters. Assisted with setup for pre-sale exhibition, including layout and installation