Dear TSA Community,
As I approach the ten-month mark as TSA’s Executive Director, I’ve been reflecting on how much we’ve already accomplished together and the possibility that lies ahead. Stepping into this role has been both humbling and energizing. Every day, I’m reminded that what makes TSA so special is not only our programs, but you: the people who make up this community. Our curiosity, generosity, and passion for textiles are the heart of this organization
One of the highlights of my first year was being with many of you in Philadelphia in July for our Textiles Close Up program. The conversations, the shared discoveries, and the chance to connect beyond the screen reinforced why gatherings like these matter so deeply. I’m already looking forward to November, when we’ll meet again in Chicago for the next Textiles Close Up. Each program feels like a thread in a larger tapestry, strengthening TSA’s presence and deepening our connection.
But these programs are not happening in isolation. Across the United States and globally, arts and cultural organizations are navigating a period of significant change. A recent SMU DataArts study reminds us that while audiences are returning and attendance is growing, organizations face heightened financial uncertainty, shrinking margins, and the erosion of pandemic-era support. In this context, textiles offer a powerful counterpoint: they remind us of the strength that comes from interconnection. Threads on their own are fragile, but woven together they endure. TSA, too, is strongest when we act in partnership—with institutions, with artists, and with one another.
That is why partnerships and collaborations have been a central focus of my first year, by relaunching TSA’s Institutional Memberships and introducing new Sponsorship opportunities. These are essential revenue streams and pathways for deeper connection and shared responsibility. These initiatives invite institutions, businesses, and individuals to stand with TSA, ensuring that our programs, grants, and publications continue to flourish.
This year alone, TSA awarded two Textile Research Travel Grants, supporting vital scholarship that pushes our field forward. Later this fall, TSA will announce the recipient of the 2024 R. L. Shep Ethnic Textiles Book Award and will start the new year with an exciting 21-day textile study tour in partnership with artist Ai Kijima. Each of these initiatives—whether funding new research, amplifying scholarship, or immersing ourselves in global exchange—reminds us that textiles are both a lens for understanding the past and a tool for imagining the future.
Looking ahead to 2026, I am encouraging all TSA members to engage.. To those who have been with TSA for decades and to those just discovering us now: when we come together, we do more than preserve knowledge. We create belonging. In a world of fractured narratives and shifting foundations, textiles teach us that beauty and resilience emerge from many interconnected threads. My hope is that TSA continues to be a place where those threads meet: where stories are shared, scholarship deepens, and communities find one another across borders and generations.
With gratitude and conviction,
P.S. We will be bringing TSA’s Colloquium to two locations in 2026: this spring in Long Beach, California, in partnership with the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA), and this fall in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in partnership with the Textile Center. These collaborations embody our commitment to creating spaces for dialogue, exchange, and inspiration across regions. Stay tuned for details!
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