Olivia McManus joins Rivalry as Director

Rivalry Projects is delighted to announce that Olivia McManus is joining as Director. Olivia brings over 10 years of experience in the arts to Rivalry, having worked for institutions  and commercial art galleries including the Renaissance Society, Rhona Hoffman Gallery, and PATRON Gallery, all in Chicago, before returning to Buffalo in 2021. 

Most recently, Olivia led the Marketing and Advancement efforts for Assembly House 150 in Buffalo, where she developed marketing and communication strategies as well as cultivated local and national funding relationships for the organization. 

“Olivia brings to Rivalry a deep passion for the arts and a unique blend of experience in sales, curation, programming, and artist management. For the past two years Dana Tyrrell and I have worked to establish Rivalry as a leading destination for contemporary art in Buffalo. We are excited to welcome Olivia to the team as we launch into the next chapter for the gallery”, states Owner Ryan Arthurs. 

McManus shares, “I am thrilled to join Rivalry and return to working closely with artists in a gallery environment. Over the last two years Rivalry has built an exciting program that highlights diverse international voices, while also celebrating the rich history of the arts here in Buffalo. I’m looking forward to helping to expand the gallery’s presence nationally and internationally.”

Olivia holds a bachelor’s degree in Art History from St. Lawrence University and a master’s degree in Art History from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In Olivia’s free time you can find her enjoying time outside with her dog Lucy and supporting Buffalo’s art scene. Olivia also serves on the board of directors for The Buffalo Institute for Contemporary Art (BICA).