Anne Pasternak, the President and Artistic Director of Creative Time, joined the organization in the fall of 1994, with the goal of presenting some of the most adventurous art in the public realm. Creative Time has been commissioning and presenting innovative art in New York City since 1972, introducing millions of people every year to contemporary art while making sure it plays an active role in public life. Under Pasternak’s direction, renowned projects range from exhibitions and performances in the historic Brooklyn Bridge Anchorage, sculptural installations in Grand Central Station’s Vanderbilt Hall, sign paintings in Coney Island, and skywriting over Manhattan to the Tribute in Light, the twin beacons of light that illuminated the former World Trade Center site six months after 9/11. Pasternak has been committed to initiating projects that give artists opportunities to innovate their practice, preserve public space as a place of creative expression, and respond to timely issues. Over the past decade, she has worked closely with such artists as Doug Aitken, Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Jenny Holzer, Gary Hume, Vik Muniz, Takashi Murakami, Shirin Neshat, Steve Powers, Cai Guo Qiang, and many more.

In addition to her work at Creative Time, Pasternak curates independent exhibitions, consults on urban planning initiatives, and contributes essays to cultural publications. She lectures extensively throughout the United States and Europe, and she served as a guest critic at Yale University and continues to teach at the School of Visual Arts.

Before leading Creative Time, Pasternak studied Art History at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst as an undergraduate, and pursued her Master's in Art History at Hunter College in New York City (albt). She worked as the Director of the Stux Galleries in Boston and New York and later as the Curator of Real Art Ways in Hartford. She currently lives in New York City with her husband, artist Mike Starn, and daughter, Paris Starn.