Inside Philanthropy periodically publishes quick overviews of the grantmakers that are on our radar, looking at recent developments and key details about how they operate. Today, we’re taking a look at the Teiger Foundation, a New York City-based funder that supports envelope-pushing contemporary visual art with a focus on curators. With approximately $140 million in assets, the foundation, which was established in 2008 by management consultant and collector David Teiger, recently issued its first-ever call for proposals for grants supporting ambitious curator-led projects. Here are four things to know about the foundation.
It was founded by a collector with an iconoclastic streak
David Teiger (1929–2014) was a management consultant who amassed an expansive collection of modern, folk and contemporary artwork. He launched the foundation in 2008 to support “ambitious curatorial projects deemed challenging, controversial, or ‘unfundable’ and that would not have been able to be otherwise mounted.” Examples of such projects include “September 11” at MoMA PS1 in 2011 and “The Air We Breathe” at SFMOMA in 2011 and 2012.
Upon his passing in 2014, Teiger bequeathed a majority of his collection of contemporary art to the foundation. The sale of selected work at public auction in 2018 and 2019 helped to establish the foundation’s endowment.
At the time, Joel Wachs, the president of the Teiger Foundation and the Andy Warhol Foundation, contrasted Teiger’s wishes with that of other mega-collectors. “So many collectors think that the most important thing to do with their art is open their own museum,” Wachs said. “But David wanted to follow in Andy’s footsteps. Artists have become an enormous source of support for artists and arts organizations across the U.S. I believe David is setting an incredible example to other collectors.”
It appointed its first executive director in 2020
According to the foundation’s most recent Form 990 for 2019, it had $137 million in total net assets and awarded six grants totaling $5.7 million. Of this amount, 82% flowed to two organizations in the form of donated artwork — the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art ($2.5 million) and the Tate Americas Foundation ($2.2 million). The remaining four grants were earmarked for COVID-related support.
In December of 2020, Queens Museum curator Larissa Harris was appointed the foundation’s inaugural executive director, kicking off what Wachs called the “next stage” of philanthropic and programmatic activity. Harris’ lengthy to-do list included articulating a philanthropic vision; developing the foundation’s grantmaking goals, organizational processes and operational structure; and expanding grantmaking offerings in partnership with the board.
The foundation has distributed a total of $8.5 million since 2020 and currently has approximately $140 million in assets. Moving forward, leadership plans to allocate a minimum of $5 million yearly in support of innovative curatorial work.
It just announced its first-ever call for proposals
In late June, the foundation launched its first-ever call for proposals supporting ambitious curatorial projects across the U.S. The foundation plans to award up to $3.5 million on an annual basis through the program, with a focus on curators who develop and present contemporary art exhibitions, tour exhibitions, and conduct independent curatorial research.
The foundation previously awarded grants through a nomination process, but now issues a call for proposals as a way to reach a more diverse group of curators. “It’s a way to let the field guide us, rather than the opposite,” Harris told me. “How can we know what’s out there unless we ask? And to make sure that the ask is framed equitably and ethically is a key part of this feedback loop.”
To that end, the foundation encourages institutions to apply for support so that overworked curators can take leave to conduct research. “Curators are expected to do creative, social, intellectual and administrative work all at the same time,” Harris said. “They need to be able to retreat, reflect and connect, not just in order to succeed in their work, but to thrive as humans, and we hope this grant can be one way to support this.”
Recipients will receive annual grants up to $150,000 as well as an opportunity to participate in the foundation’s Climate Action Pilot program, which will provide support to help curators and organizations embed climate consciousness into their daily operations and programs.
The foundation will hold an information session about the new curatorial project initiative on August 3 and is accepting calls for proposals through September 15. Individuals can indicate their interest in participating in the Climate Action program on the last page of the application. The foundation plans to announce its inaugural round of grantees by February 2023.
It’s committed to “a just transition to a world without fossil fuels”
The Climate Action Pilot program came together when the foundation began working with previous grantees that focused on integrating climate awareness into the visual art world. “It was through learning about their work and seeing its potential for broader application that the Climate Action pilot came about,” Harris said. “We are committed to contributing to a just transition to a world without fossil fuels.”
Over the next two years, the foundation will work in partnership with its climate organization grantees and its upcoming 2023 exhibition, organization, touring and research grantees to shape and adapt the program to ensure it effectively addresses needs on the ground.
The foundation’s program comes at a time when other visual arts funders are embracing climate action. For further reading, check out my chat with Elizabeth Smith, executive director of the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, in which she discusses the $5 million Frankenthaler Climate Initiative, which supports museums seeking to assess their impact on the environment and lower energy costs.