We are deeply saddened to hear that Georgiana Pickett passed away on February 5, 2024. Georgiana became a valued Trustee of the Merce Cunningham Trust in September 2020. In that role, Georgiana was a considerate, generous, courageous, and insightful voice at our table. She brought her years of expertise leading arts organizations and dealing with artists to her work with Trust. In our conversations, she always expressed a broad point of view while advocating for what she believed was right.
Georgiana had a longstanding commitment to the legacy of Merce Cunningham. In her previous role as Executive Director of the Baryshnikov Arts Center, she spearheaded the campaign to endow the John Cage and Merce Cunningham Studio and the Cage Cunningham Fellowship. She consistently invoked the spirit of Merce Cunningham, encouraging all of us to consider the legacy broadly and to pursue activities and programs that were in accord with that spirit.
She was a tireless advocate for recognizing artists’ worth and value, which she encouraged us to do as well. On a personal level, she always treated me with great fondness and respect, willing to give generously of her time whenever I called with a burning question or concern.
Georgiana’s death is a great loss for the Trust and for the arts and culture field at large. She is already sorely missed.
After the recent successful screening of Daniel Madoff's (MCDC 2007-11) film August Pace 1989-2019 at this
year's Dance on Camera festival, his film Event at REDCAT will premiere at Baryshnikov Arts on March 7.
The film was produced by Trust Scholar-in-Residence Nancy Dalva and is part of an evening celebrating the long
relationship and connection between Misha and Merce. You won't want to miss it!
Ken Tabachnick
Executive Director