Dominic Santiago is a creative operations and fabrication strategist based in New York, specializing in the financial and operational frameworks behind cultural projects. He develops and delivers complex work across public art, museum environments, and gallery installations — bridging creative intent with production and production feasibility.
With a background spanning art fabrication, design production, business operations, and installation oversight, he works closely with artists, institutions, and fabrication teams to translate ambitious concepts into coordinated, executable plans. His recent work includes international public-art proposals, large-scale architectural installations, and high-profile cultural exhibitions.
2024
ROYAL COMMISSION FOR RIYADH CITY
OPERATIONS PARTNER + LEAD ESTIMATOR
INTERNATIONAL
Art in Transit
Art in Transit was a large-scale public art proposal developed for the Royal Commission for Riyadh City. The project explored movement, infrastructure, and cultural storytelling—translating conceptual narratives into architectural scale, fabrication pathways, and coordinated delivery frameworks. I supported feasibility, production strategy, and cross-team alignment across 24 stations, 29 artists, 12 countries, and 5 continents, building the operational systems and planning structures that guided proposal development.
• Developed executive tracking and communication systems across three continents.
• Built consortium-wide budget models and financial forecasting tools.
• Partnered with CEO and artists to shape the proposal narrative and feasibility.
• Coordinated vendors, material research, and international collaboration.
• Supported scheduling, estimating alignment, and proposal delivery workflows.
2022
PACE GALLERY
ASSOCIATE PROJECT MANAGER —
PRODUCTION + INSTALLATION
NEW YORK, NY
Liveness (Multi-Scalar Motion #1)
Liveness (Multi-Scalar Motion #1) is a large-scale installation by Torkwase Dyson, presented as part of A Liquid Belonging at Pace Gallery. The work explores spatial agency through glass, graphite, acrylic, wood, and steel. I served as the Associate Project Manager responsible for producing documentation for the gallery and artist, coordinating client-facing procurement of specialized materials—including custom-fabricated 2” thick blue glass—and supervising on-site installation. My role included artist handling, cross-team alignment, and authoring the installation guide used for long-term reference.
• Produced documentation packages for Pace Gallery and the artist, including tracking, updates, and technical notes.
• Managed client-facing procurement of specialized materials, such as custom 2 thick blue glass.
• Served as on-site artist handler and installation supervisor, directing art handlers and technicians to ensure fidelity to the artist’s spatial intent.
• Documented the installation and authored the comprehensive installation guide used for future handling and reference.
2022
DELTA AIRLINES + VIRGINIA OVERTON
ASSOCIATE PROJECT MANAGER +
DRAFTER
NEW YORK, NY
Skylight Gems
Skylight Gems is a large-scale public art installation by Virginia Overton, commissioned for LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal C. The work repurposes salvaged skylight sections and pairs them with custom-fabricated glass and illuminated steel structures suspended through the atrium’s multi-level volume. As Associate Project Manager, I supported the fabrication phase of the project—producing client-facing documentation, drafting construction details for the repurposed skylight components, coordinating vendors, and managing procurement of specialized glass required for the artwork’s new architectural assemblies.
• Produced client-facing documentation, tracking, and progress updates for Delta and the Queens Museum.
• Drafted construction details for the repurposed skylight halves and their new fabricated counterparts.
• Coordinated fabrication and finishing workflows across metal, glass, and lighting vendors.
• Managed procurement of specialized glass components required for the reconstructed skylight structures.
2025
LUCKY RICE
LEAD ESTIMATOR — PRODUCTION
STRATEGY
NEW YORK, NY
Infinite Harmony
Infinite Harmony was a large-scale public artwork commissioned for the Oculus at the World Trade Center to celebrate the 2025 Lunar New Year (Year of the Snake). The project featured a 150-foot serpentine sculpture fabricated from folded aluminum composite panels (ACM/Dibond). My role focused on production strategy, material evaluation, and cross-team feasibility—translating the conceptual design into a buildable system that aligned architectural intent, fabrication constraints, and the accelerated schedule of a live public environment.
• Developed cost models, materials strategy, and production feasibility under compressed lead times.
• Coordinated between architects, artists, engineers, and vendors to align performance and manufacturability.
• Supported documentation workflows and client-facing updates across design, fabrication, and delivery stages.
2023
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
— THE COSTUME INSTITUTE
LEAD ESTIMATOR — EXHIBITIONS
NEW YORK, NY
Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty
Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty was the centerpiece exhibition of the 2023 Met Gala and one of the most widely publicized cultural events of the year. The show featured immersive architectural environments, custom-fabricated display systems, specialty materials, and highly detailed scenography designed to translate Lagerfeld’s visual language into an exhibition context. As Lead Estimator for exhibition production, I supported the project from its earliest feasibility studies through multiple rounds of revision and final awarded pricing. My work shaped the financial modeling, fabrication strategy, vendor coordination, and production logistics that informed the museum’s decision-making and the show’s ultimate build.
• Developed full-cycle cost models from initial concept through final awarded pricing, covering fabrication, finishing, installation labor, and logistics.
• Evaluated specialty materials including acrylics, metals, textiles, and custom scenic finishes—and coordinated pricing with vendors and fabricators.
• Produced comparative value-engineering scenarios to balance creative intent with budget constraints and institutional requirements.
• Collaborated with project managers, designers, and production partners to align scope, phasing, and feasibility across evolving exhibition plans.
• Modeled crating, transport, installation sequencing, and on-site labor strategies for the museum’s review and approval process.
