About

Mission

In partnership with organizations and individuals locally and globally, the Terra Foundation fosters intercultural dialogues and encourages transformative practices to expand narratives of American art.

Image

Abstract painting with geometric shapes and colors including red, yellow, green, and blue.

Marsden Hartley, Painting No. 50, 1914–15. Terra Foundation for American Art, Daniel J. Terra Collection, 1999.61

Grantmaking Priorities

The Terra Foundation supports projects that engage the visual arts of the United States and Indigenous arts of North America, while questioning and broadening understandings of American art and transforming how its stories are told.

Our grantmaking and collection projects help generate knowledge, encourage dialogue, transform practices, and expand narratives of American art.

We encourage projects that:

  • collectively reflect the full breadth and complexity of American art and its histories through the artists represented, voices included, and stories told
  • engage artists, scholars, and communities who present a plurality of perspectives and methods, including intercultural and interdisciplinary approaches
  • catalyze inclusive and expansive practices in the field of American art

Glossary of Terms

The following definitions provide further explanations of certain terms we use and their conceptual basis in relation to our work.

Local and Global

Local means proximate to/concentrated in each geographic location. We do not just use the word to refer to Chicago or Paris, where our offices are located.

While we grant to different cities, regions, or countries at any given time, we use “global” to indicate a holistic, interconnected perspective that considers the world as an interrelated entity.

Transformative Practices

“Transformative practices” refers to behaviors, actions, and processes that foster collaborative partnerships and positive impact. These practices show a consciousness of history, are rooted in present conditions, and are focused on creating more inclusive futures in American art.

Intercultural

Intercultural dialogue is the reciprocal exchange of ideas and cultural values and practices that support the development of networks, partnerships, and mutual understanding. It rests on the open and respectful sharing of perspectives across cultures, fostering deeper understanding into one another’s worldviews.

Images

Impressionist painting of a street scene in Paris. Two individuals and a dog are in the foreground, and a domed building is in the background. The sky is gray and cloudy.

Henry Ossawa Tanner, Les Invalides, Paris, 1896. Terra Foundation for American Art, Daniel J. Terra Collection, 1999.140

Values

Cultural Humility

We embrace curiosity and listen, learn, and remain open-minded, engaging in multiple viewpoints and cultural contexts to shape our work in the field of American art.

Inclusion and Access

We support approaches that collectively advance whole and inclusive histories of American art through a plurality of perspectives and commit to practices where all people belong, are valued, and are treated fairly.

Partnership and Collaboration

We facilitate exchange and dialogue among organizations and individuals by investing our resources to build and sustain authentic, peer-driven partnerships. We are participants in collective efforts that are committed to collaboration as a tool for expanding the field of American art.

Experimentation and Adaptiveness

We support bold, courageous, often experimental work that challenges the status quo and helps reimagine American art. We embrace opportunities to support immediate and emerging needs within the arts and cultural sphere.

Stories and News

Grants Awarded

Collections Grants

Grants Awarded Spring 2025

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A group of people is seated around a long table with a screen at showing many people on a video call.

New Art School Modality module Arts Writing / Writing About Art, 2024

Partner Stories

Strategic Initiatives

New Art School Modality: A Conversation with Romi Crawford

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Painting of the Salon Carré in the Louvre art museum in Paris hung with masterpieces of European art primarily from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

Samuel F. B. Morse, Gallery of the Louvre, 1831–33. Terra Foundation for American Art, Daniel J. Terra Collection, 1992.51

Partner Stories

Terra Collection-in-Residence

Teaching and Collaborating at Harvard Art Museums with Terra Collection-in-Residence

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