In 1939, the Minnesota Arts Council was granted control of the building on Lowry Hill, along with its art collection, in order to create a civic art center.[1] With the assistance of the Works Progress Administration, building improvements were made and the Walker Art Center opened in January 1940.[49] Daniel Defenbacher, who led the Federal Art Project's Community Art Center program, left the WPA to become the first director of the Walker Art Center.[3] Around this time, the Walker officially began its focus on modern and contemporary works of art.[2]