Sarasota, Florida, United States
Samantha Wassmer is a designer and visual storyteller whose work bridges the arts, activism, and community engagement. With a background in art history and a practice rooted in illustration, collage, and multimedia, Samantha brings a curatorial lens to every project—whether developing exhibitions, leading communications strategies, or creating accessible public programming. She holds a B.A. in Art History from Stanford University and an M.A. from The Courtauld Institute of Art, where her research explored prison art and activist publishing in the wake of the Attica Uprising. Her career has spanned arts institutions, political design firms, and environmental nonprofits, all unified by her commitment to collaboration and amplifying underrepresented narratives. A proud second-generation Filipino-American, Samantha centers equity and community in her work. She believes deeply in the transformative potential of culture and the necessity of creative spaces that reflect and respond to the people they serve. Outside of her practice, she finds joy in music, food, and the occasional dog sighting.
• Communications Strategy: Develop and implement comprehensive communication plans to enhance public awareness and support for water quality initiatives on Florida’s Suncoast • Establish Brand & Content: Design logo and branding packet; design and distribute engagement materials; grow social media presence and manage channels; oversee website content to effectively engage diverse audiences • Community Engagement: Co-create and organize 10 events and 4 programs to foster community involvement; collaborate with partners to advocate for clean water policies. • Project Management: Coordinate with the Board of Directors and Executive Director to align marketing strategies with organizational goals; manage budgets and timelines effectively
• Design: design mail for congressional races delivered to millions of voters; assist team in developing programs targeted for BIPOC voters; produce creative visual content for high-stakes marketing and communications campaigns for 20+ clients • Management: manage fellows workload and development; project manage creative process for 10+ clients
• Client Experience and Cultivation: research trends in giving to increase engagement with the museum; design advancement campaigns and write appeals; plan and host high-level donor events; coordinate projects with museum staff from different departments; foster and maintain good relationships with donor base and members
• Project management and curatorial work: major projects such as displays, performances, and festivals; coordinate installation and de-installation of exhibitions and displays • Research and Writing: research and editing of papers and presentations by curators and Director; re-search and clear rights to footage and music for documentary films • Organization and coordination: liaise with artists, performers, and external contacts; manage Direc-tor of department; organize onsite work for the department • Notable Projects: Overtures and Ovations: A Celebration of Musicals (2022); On Point: Royal Academy of Dance at 100 (2020); You Say You Want a Revolution? Documentary (2019); Abbey Road at 50 per-formance (2019)
• Research and writing: archival research for curatorial team; contributed to research for object and exhibition files using FileMaker Pro; researched provenance and exhibition history for objects; assisted in examination of artworks; researched and wrote talking points on artworks • Exhibitions: Night Shades and Phantoms installation; Robert Rauschenberg Spreads 1975-83