The Studio Museum in Harlem Awarded Endowment Gift from MacKenzie Scott
NEW YORK, NY, June 16, 2021 — Thelma Golden, Director and Chief Curator of The Studio Museum in Harlem, today expressed deep gratitude to philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott on behalf of the institution’s Board of Trustees, staff, and community for providing the Museum with an extraordinary and transformative gift. As the international nexus for artists of African descent, the Studio Museum is honored and humbled to be recognized among 285 other outstanding non-profit organizations, many of whom are its peers and neighbors in Harlem.
Ms. Scott’s acknowledgment of art and culture’s ability to create space and build community is borne out by the tireless work of culturally specific, community-centric institutions like the Studio Museum and by the unflagging support of their trustees and dedication of their staffs to carve out a place for work in a historically exclusionary field. Ms. Scott’s giving is notable for its emphasis on leveling the field for institutions that often have been overlooked in the greater philanthropic landscape.
This donation, which will be used to augment the Studio Museum’s endowment, will strengthen the Museum in the long term by generating operating revenue year after year, thereby supporting the exhibitions, research and publications, signature Artist-in-Residence program, education initiatives, and more that have made the Studio Museum a leading contemporary art institution for more than half a century.
Thelma Golden said, “Like other institutions that are benefiting from MacKenzie Scott’s generosity, The Studio Museum in Harlem will now be positioned more strongly to contribute to its audiences, its artists, its city, and the world of art. I am deeply inspired when I think about the possibilities for important and groundbreaking work that this gift will enable for years to come.”
About The Studio Museum in Harlem
Founded in 1968 by a diverse group of artists, community activists, and philanthropists, The Studio Museum in Harlem is internationally known for its catalytic role in promoting the work of artists of African descent. The Studio Museum is preparing to construct a new home at its longtime location on Manhattan’s West 125th Street. Designed by Adjaye Associates in collaboration with Cooper Robertson, the 82,000-square foot facility will be the first created expressly for the Museum’s program. The new building will enable the Studio Museum to better serve a growing and diverse audience, provide additional educational opportunities for people of all ages, expand its program of world-renowned exhibitions, effectively display its singular collection, and strengthen its trailblazing Artist-in-Residence program.
For more information on the Studio Museum, its collection, and a wide range of online resources for audiences of all ages, visit studiomuseum.org or follow us @studiomuseum on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Hours and Admission
The Studio Museum in Harlem’s top priority is guaranteeing the safety of each member of our community, our audiences, our committed team, and their families. As a proud citizen of Harlem and a public institution, we also are mindful of our responsibilities as a leader in the promotion of best public health practices. For these reasons, as we continue to monitor the challenges posed by the spread of COVID-19, we have closed our programming space, Studio Museum 127. We do so out of an abundance of caution and in the best interest of our staff and our community.
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