Karin Peterson is Executive Director of The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts. A sociologist of art, Dr. Peterson brings an interdisciplinary approach to visual culture and an appreciation for the resonating power of art for individuals and communities. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia (Charlottesville), an advanced degree from L’Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (Paris, France), and is an alumna of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College (Lynchburg, Virginia).
Peterson is a career-long educator and has been a Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina Asheville for the past two decades. Recently, she served as Interim Provost of UNC School of the Arts, and previously held the same role at UNC Asheville. She is excited about The Bascom’s strategic plan, whose realization will allow the organization to serve the multiple communities in our region with innovative programming that impacts people of all ages, and that addresses the connections between the arts, education, and wellbeing.
