Art History Director Dr. Radha Dalal Elected to CAA’s Board of Directors

Congratulations to Art History Director Dr. Radha Dalal who has been elected to the Board of Directors of the prestigious College Art Association of America (CAA). 

The CAA supports those who study, teach, write about, advocate for and/or create art and design, including art historians, artists, designers, curators, students, faculty, and visual art professionals. 

“Leading an art history department within an art and design institution has made me keenly aware of the challenges the visual arts and humanities collectively face today,” Dr. Dalal said.

“It’s a great honor to be elected to the Board. It’s an achievement largely borne from my valuable experiences of working with the Art History faculty, students, alumni, and with colleagues from across VCU, VCUarts Qatar, Qatar Foundation, and museums, galleries and other institutions in Qatar and elsewhere.”

The CAA’s 22-member Board is charged with the CAA’s long-term financial stability and strategic direction. It is also the association’s governing body. The Board sets policy regarding all aspects of the CAA’s activities, including publishing, the Annual Conference, awards and fellowships, advocacy, and committee procedures.

Dr. Dalal previously served on the CAA’s International Committee from 2012-2015, followed by the CAA’s Committee on Diversity Practices from 2016-2020.

She is the Co-Chair of the forthcoming Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art, a major biennial event which addresses significant themes and issues in understanding the visual arts of the Islamic lands. This year’s Symposium will again take place at VCUarts Qatar. 

VCUarts Qatar’s Art History program, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2022, offers a distinctive concentration in Islamic art within a global perspective. The program has produced three valedictorians from seven graduating classes and enrolled nearly 200 students in its major and minor. Graduates have gone on to successful careers in business, museums and non-governmental organizations, and to pursue further education.  

Photographs by Raviv Cohen.