Jerome Foundation

Jerome Foundation

The Jerome Foundation is a private philanthropic organization supporting emerging artists in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Minnesota, and New York City. It funds work in film, video, dance, music, theater, visual arts, and literary arts through fellowships, project grants, and partnerships with institutions such as Walker Art Center, Guggenheim Museum, and New York Foundation for the Arts. The foundation traces its roots to the legacy of Jerome Hill, connecting mid-20th century patronage to contemporary funding ecosystems including collaborations with National Endowment for the Arts, Ford Foundation, and regional arts councils.

History

The foundation was established from the estate of Jerome Hill and developed governance and grantmaking practices influenced by models from Rockefeller Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Carnegie Corporation of New York. Early activities intersected with programs at Museum of Modern Art, Lincoln Center, and Tate Modern through artist support and exhibition sponsorship. In the 1970s and 1980s the foundation expanded grants to support film and video makers connected to festivals like Sundance Film Festival and New Directors/New Films, and collaborated with archives such as Anthology Film Archives and Film at Lincoln Center. During the 1990s it deepened municipal engagement with Minneapolis Institute of Art and state agencies like the Minnesota State Arts Board while networking with national entities including Americans for the Arts and United States Artists.

Mission and Programs

The foundation’s mission emphasizes fostering emerging artists and early career development in Minnesota and New York State, aligning its programming with peer organizations such as National Endowment for the Arts and Citizens Committee for New York City. Core programs include artist fellowships, project grants, and program partnerships with institutions like New Museum, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Alfred A. Knopf–affiliated literary initiatives, and university arts centers at Columbia University and University of Minnesota. The foundation supports disciplines covered by Brooklyn Philharmonic, American Ballet Theatre, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and smaller venues like Walker Art Center’s McGuire Theater and Public Theater. It often matches funds with corporate partners like NEA Jazz Masters-linked presenters and collaborates with curatorial programs at Whitney Museum of American Art and festivals such as Big Ears Festival.

Grantmaking and Funding Initiatives

Grantmaking focuses on fellowships for individual artists, production grants for film and media, and project support for collaborative arts organizations. The foundation’s grant cycles often coordinate with grantors such as Knight Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and MacArthur Foundation to leverage awards and co-funding. Funding initiatives have included support for experimental film linked to True/False Film Festival, documentary work seen at Tribeca Film Festival, and incubators in partnership with Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. The foundation administers awards that can be complemented by residency opportunities at institutions including Yaddo, MacDowell Colony, and Hermitage Artist Retreat. It maintains application guidelines referencing peer review practices used by National Endowment for the Arts panels and evaluation frameworks similar to those of Pratt Institute research programs.

Governance and Leadership

Governance is handled by a board of directors and program staff with ties to arts institutions such as Minneapolis College of Art and Design, New School, and Juilliard School. Past and present board members and advisors have included executives and curators associated with Walker Art Center, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Brooklyn Museum, Theatre Communications Group, and academic leaders from Yale School of Art and Columbia School of the Arts. The foundation’s leadership has also engaged consultants and evaluators from organizations like Tisch School of the Arts and Pew Charitable Trusts to refine strategy, and collaborates with legal and financial advisors connected to Citi Foundation and regional banks.

Impact and Notable Recipients

The foundation’s support has contributed to early career development for artists and makers who have gone on to prominence in institutions and festivals including Sundance Film Festival, Venice Biennale, Berlin International Film Festival, Whitney Biennial, and awards such as the Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur Fellowship. Notable recipients and associated collaborators have worked with Spike Lee, Ava DuVernay, Choreographer Merce Cunningham-affiliated dancers, musicians featured by New Yorker critics, and visual artists exhibited at Museum of Modern Art and Tate Modern. The foundation’s grantees have produced films screened at Telluride Film Festival and SXSW, theater works presented at Public Theater and La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, and music projects premiered by ensembles like Bang on a Can and New York Philharmonic. Regional impact includes sustained partnerships with Guthrie Theater, Penumbra Theatre Company, Minnesota Orchestra, and artist development pipelines linked to Walker Art Center and Northrop at the University of Minnesota.

Category:Foundations based in the United States