Field Ecosystem Strengthening

Supports the archival preservation of American art history through general operating grants.

Supports art exhibitions, the publication of literary series highlighting women artists and writers, and the development of scholarly resources such as a catalogue raisonné database.

Funds capital campaigns through grants to nonprofit organizations, including support for arts residency programs.

Provides general operating and multi-year support grants to organizations promoting cultural and artistic heritage, including printmaking studios, museum leadership, fine arts appraisal associations, and South Asian cultural preservation groups.

Collaborates with the Wildenstein Plattner Institute to develop and maintain a comprehensive online archive of Romare Bearden’s complete body of work, making it accessible to scholars and the public through digital publication and research organization.

Creates and distributes educational materials and digital applications that allow users to engage with Bearden’s artistic methods, including a digital tool for remixing his works and large-scale photographic enlargements of his collages titled 'Projections'.

Administers the Cinque Artists Program, which provides financial grants, public platforms, and mentorship opportunities to support the development of emerging Black artists.

Provides financial support through scholarship programs aimed at advancing the study and research of Romare Bearden’s life and work by young scholars.

Presents and supports traveling exhibitions of Romare Bearden’s work, including at the Long Island Museum and Clay Art Center, and lends artworks to institutions such as the Paramount Center for the Arts, with foundation co-directors delivering gallery talks.

Organizes and presents the "Cinque Artist Program" talk series annually, featuring mid-career artists who receive honoraria, and hosts public symposiums and events at institutions such as NYU, Duke University, and Columbia College Chicago to promote artistic exchange.

Coordinates large-scale public initiatives such as a six-month citywide celebration in New York City involving over 20 cultural organizations and led national efforts during Bearden’s Centennial in 2011 to expand public awareness and engagement.

Offers research assistance to curators and scholars to support new exhibitions and publications on Romare Bearden and engages in academic collaborations such as the Harlem Semester Initiative and the Artist Endowed Foundation Forum.

Coauthored and published the book A History of African-American Artists: From 1792 to the Present, a major scholarly contribution released posthumously in 1993.

Provides educational programs and resources for young people, artists, and scholars focused on Romare Bearden’s artistic themes and methods, including digital tools and public events that foster creative development and engagement with his work.

Presents an annual Book Award that recognizes outstanding publications demonstrating excellence in research, scholarship, and new ideas in printmaking, history, and connoisseurship, with a $3,000 prize and jury review process culminating at the IFPDA Fair.

Manages an annual award recognizing contemporary artists’ innovative use of printmaking, presented at the IFPDA Print Fair since 2014.

Supports professional development by awarding annual grants for curatorial internships in museum print and drawings departments, including partnerships with institutions such as the AUC Art Collective to place students from historically Black colleges in global printmaking and curatorial settings.

Provides grants to museums and nonprofit organizations globally to support exhibitions, scholarly publications, and educational initiatives that promote understanding and connoisseurship of fine prints and drawings.