Shirley Tokash Verrico is a visual arts professional with more than 25 years of experience in institutional leadership, art history education, and exhibition curation. She currently serves as Operations Manager for the Medina Triennial 2026, a town-wide contemporary art exhibition and public program bringing together 35 artists and collectives from around the world from June 6 to September 7, 2026. In this role, Verrico oversees the organizational infrastructure of the Triennial’s inaugural edition, coordinating across leadership, the board, artists, and institutional partners to ensure aligned priorities, clear communication, and the timely delivery of key milestones and public-facing deadlines.
She leads cross-departmental planning and budget oversight in collaboration with the leadership team, managing financial documentation, institutional reporting, and grant tracking, while maintaining systems that promote accountability, transparency, and long-term sustainability. Serving as a liaison between leadership, the board, and fiscal and oversight entities, Verrico plays a central role in translating curatorial vision into coordinated execution across a complex, multi-site exhibition.
Prior to joining the Medina Triennial, Verrico served for eleven years as Visual Arts Director and Curator at Buffalo Arts Studio, where she developed cohesive exhibition seasons, public art initiatives, and community-centered programming rooted in social justice and purposeful collaboration. She worked closely with hundreds of artists, managed a community of 30 Studio Artists, and realized large-scale projects in partnership with organizations including Tri-Main Center and Silo City.
Verrico has held leadership roles at multiple Western New York art institutions and holds a BFA, an MA, and a New York State K–12 Art Education Certification.
Wonderbrink Breakfasts
Breakfast is a full-production morning event built around a curation of creative voices on second Fridays. The program includes a shared meal, a talk, and time for listening and reflection. It’s designed for people who want to start their day with focus and a clear idea to carry with them. As always, the whole family is welcome. Bring your own mug to reduce event waste. And let us know on the RSVP form how we may better enable your attendance.
Photo by k.c. kratt