Allison McCarthy is a curator and exhibition designer with over 20 years of experience in the arts. She most recently served for a decade at The Dalí Museum (2015–2025), where she produced numerous acclaimed exhibitions and implemented major curatorial projects. A graduate of the Savannah College of Art & Design, she also pursued graduate studies in art history at Florida State University. Her career spans leadership roles at the Clearwater Arts Alliance, Center for Contemporary Art (Santa Fe, NM), art4business, Inc. (London), LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts (Tallahassee) and the Florida Department of State (Tallahassee).
A native Floridian, Allison is passionate about visual storytelling, public art, and cultural accessibility. She currently serves on the Steering Committee for St. Petersburg’s SHINE Mural Festival. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys exploring local art scenes, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her twin teenage daughters and her dog, Maisie.
Allison is thrilled to step into the role of Curatorial Director for Pinellas County’s local arts agency, where she looks forward to shaping inclusive, thought-provoking cultural experiences that further the county’s reputation as a premier arts destination. She is particularly eager to cultivate meaningful community engagement, foster dynamic partnerships that elevate local and emerging artists, and attract national and international talent to enrich the region’s cultural landscape.
