In school, Christopher Taylor was always the go-to person to get things done.
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Whether it was bringing artists together, planning trips or organizing shows for the sculpture department at the end of the semester, Taylor knew he was good at organizing things, which has led him to his longstanding career in arts administration.
And now he’s bringing his skills back to Chicago, a place he’s already had familiarity with.
Taylor, 52, will be stepping into the role as president and CEO of the Oak Park and Chicago based Frank Lloyd Wright Trust. He is set to start in mid-October.
Taylor has spent over 25 years working in arts and cultural organizations, close to 15 of those, he said, in executive director leadership roles.
Taylor’s predecessor, Celeste Adams, held the position since 2010, but he has plans to leave a legacy behind and hopes to be in the new position for a long time.
“I want to make sure that the Trust is known for partnering and working with other organizations in the community and at large around the country and maybe internationally,” Taylor said.
He grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but has spent time in Chicago early in his career working at The Art Institute of Chicago and sits on the Beer Culture Center board, which is based in Chicago.
He’s familiar with the history of Wright, famously known as one of the greatest architects of all time, and the name is what appealed to him when applying for the job, he said.
But there are missions that the organization is aiming to accomplish, like developing a strategic plan that’ll help shape the organization’s expansion plan for the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust Learning Center.
The longer it takes to raise the funds for the center, the more money it will cost, and Taylor said he’s ready to take on the tasks that his new role entails.
“I know I have the skills as far as fundraising and leadership,” he said, and the organization’s other leaders have faith in him as well.
“We are very excited to have Chris on board to steer the trust into our next phase,” said John Rafkin, chairman of the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust Board of Directors. “He will be a great fit and we are excited about his vision and skills as we continue to serve our mission of inspiring the public with the ideas and works of Frank Lloyd Wright.”
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Taylor is leaving his previous position as executive director at the Museum of Boulder in Colorado that he’s held for a little over two years after feeling like his work at the organization is done.
During his time there, he helped stabilize the organization and its staff, bringing in staff benefits and securing six-figure funding, he said.
Taylor graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with bachelor’s degrees in religious studies and in sculpture. He earned a master’s degree in arts administration and policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust has 45 employees and over 300 trained volunteers, who serve around 150,000 site visitors each year at sites including the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio and Unity Temple in Oak Park, the Frederick C. Robie House and Rookery Building in Chicago, and more.
Though he doesn’t start for nearly two months, he’s already getting familiar with the area and making connections with people in the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation in Arizona and members of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy in Chicago.
“I’m already getting excited about the new community of partners that I’ll be working with,” Taylor said.