Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
The Artist-Endowed Foundation Leadership Forum brings together foundation leaders, practice experts, scholars, and thought leaders to explore and discuss critical issues and important innovations in policy and practice that are influencing the charitable impact of the Artist-Endowed Foundation (AEF) community in art stewardship and cultural philanthropy.
As AEFs navigate the many crosscurrents shaping our culture and democracy, it is essential that their leaders come together in collegial exchange and mutual support. The Artist-Endowed Foundation Leadership Forum convenes senior staff and board leaders of AEFs, as well as graduates of the Seminar on Strategy for Artist-Endowed Foundation Leaders, to take the measure of the times and consider how their foundations and the AEF community as a whole can strengthen the vital role of cultural philanthropy and art stewardship in maintaining the country’s vibrant culture and ensuring its equitable benefits.
Forum Purpose and Philosophy
The Forum aims to strengthen the charitable impact of the emerging artist-endowed foundation field by:
Fostering collegial exchange among foundation leaders on issues and opportunities in practice and policy influencing their work in cultural philanthropy and art stewardship;
Building a shared body of knowledge about effective practice;
Introducing new foundation leaders into the community’s conversations and network; and
Informing the research, publication, professional education, and leadership programs of the Aspen Institute Artist-Endowed Foundations Initiative | AEFI.
The Forum’s mission is based on the belief that the AEF community as a whole will benefit from development of a shared body of knowledge about Artist-Endowed Foundations, so that:
Leaders are informed about the field’s many dimensions, not just their own foundation’s individual characteristics and particular concerns, and, as such;
Leaders are able to serve as resources for the broader AEF community’s advancement, contributing their knowledge to artists, artists’ family members, and new artist-endowed foundations.
