We hold equity as a core value in all aspects of our work and culture and are committed to a future where all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, age, religion, ability, or socioeconomic status, are treated justly and fairly.
Given structural inequities faced by communities of color, we center racial equity and racial justice throughout our policies and practices. Recognizing how understandings and presentations of American art have contributed to disparities and injustices perpetuated by systemic racism, we acknowledge the harm inflicted by settler colonialism on Native peoples and cultures, the histories of enslavement and anti-Black racism in the U.S. and elsewhere, and the exclusionary practices directed against people of color throughout history and in the present.
We embrace truthful expressions of history and creativity to help unlock the full potential of American art, and we direct the foundation’s resources to redress historical inequities through our grantmaking. We recognize that our commitments to equity require ongoing efforts on our own work culture and entail actions across our staff, board, and programs.
