Scott Erbes Email & Phone Number

Museum’s first curator of decorative arts and design for a collection of some 6,000 objects. Responsible for acquisition, documentation, interpretation, and care of European and American decorative arts and design, Asian art, and contemporary studio craft. Areas of specialized expertise include: the intersections of art and industry in eighteenth-century England, the American and British Arts and Crafts movements, American and European ceramics from 1890 to 1940, contemporary glass, and the decorative arts and material culture of early Kentucky. Conceived and launched the Kentucky Online Arts Resource (www.koar.org). Multiple acquisitions featured in Art & Antiques magazine’s annual listing of top museum acquisitions. Exhibitions and installations include: "Making Time: The Art of the Kentucky Tall Case Clock, 1790-1850" (2019), "Teatime Chic: Ceramics 1900-1960" (2015), "Quilts from Kentucky and Beyond: The Bingham-Miller Family Collection" (2011), "Modern in the Making: Design 1900-2000" (2010), and "English Silver in the Age of Matthew Boulton: The James C. Codell, Jr., Collection" (2009). Produced multiple oral history video shorts, including "Collecting Kentucky: Bob and Norma Noe" (2010), "A Passion for Quilts" (2011), and "Discovering a Kentucky Masterpiece with Robert Brewer" (2012).

Louisville, Kentucky Area

Manage curatorial team including curators, registrars, art preparators, and others. Oversee exhibition planning, design, and execution as well as collections management and care. During the museum's $50 million expansion (2012-2016), established a satellite gallery, directed reinstallation planning, exhibition development, large-scale collections movement, conservation assessments and treatments, and concept development/design for new galleries. Recruited multiple additions to the Speed's curatorial team including curator of European and American painting and sculpture, curator of contemporary art, and curator of film. After developing a succession plan, stepped away from role as chief curator in January 2017 to begin work on several exhibition projects and accelerate expansion of the Speed's decorative arts and design collections.

Louisville, Kentucky Area

One of three museum staff chosen by Board of Trustees to act as interim executive team during search for a new director. Among other duties, assumed management of all curatorial staff, developed three-year strategic plan and budget for curatorial and collections departments, and enhanced collections development strategies.

Louisville, Kentucky Area

Manage team of registrars, art preparators, and others. Oversee exhibition planning, design, and execution as well as collections management and care. During ongoing expansion of the museum, direct large-scale collections movement, conservation assessments and treatments, and concept development for new galleries. Managed renovation, preparation, and installation of new satellite gallery on a six-week schedule and act as supervising curator for the gallery.

M.A., Winterthur Program In American Material Culture

B.A., History And Historic Preservation