A Conversation about Arts Philanthropy with Claudia Worthington Hess and Catherine Pyke, Founders of The Arts of Philanthropy
In our latest conversation we are delighted to talk with both art appraiser Claudia Worthington Hess of Hess Art Advisory and philanthropic advisor Catherine Pyke of Centerpiece Philanthropy. Together they have joined forces to form The Arts of Philanthropy to expand popular understanding about how art can be used as a tool for philanthropic good.
The Conversation
Worthwhile Magazine (WM): What inspired you to create The Arts of Philanthropy?
Claudia Hess, AAA
Claudia Hess: I joined an organization called Advisors in Philanthropy (AIP), where I met Catherine Pyke. It didn’t feel like a fit at first for an art appraiser, but I quickly learned about and got inspired by Agnes Gund’s sale of her most prized Roy Lichtenstein painting to fund prison reform programs. She prompted me to think deeply about how art and artists can be used for a higher good.
Aggie, as her friends call her, was so disturbed after seeing Ava DeVernay’s documentary 13th, with its message about America’s racist system of mass incarceration. She sold the Lichtenstein painting for $165 million to a hedge fund investor. And with this money, she and her friend Darren Walker at the Ford Foundation started the Art for Justice Fund. This fund now provides grants to artists and advocates focused on safely reducing the prison population, promoting justice reinvestment, and creating art that changes the narrative around mass incarceration.
Catherine Pyke
Catherine Pyke: I was inspired by Aggie Gund too, but it was really the late philanthropist Norman Stone who caused me to think about arts philanthropy. As a program officer for the Hearst Foundations for twenty-eight years, I’d long been familiar with and admired the philanthropy of the foundation that Norman headed for many years, the W. Clement & Jessie Stone Foundation. After I left Hearst, I wanted to shine a light on some of the funders who I felt were truly impactful. Norman was gracious enough to allow me to interview him. He really piqued my curiosity when he spoke of himself as an arts philanthropist. Norman and his late wife, Norah’s art collections in San Francisco and in Napa are considered among the most focused, vocal, and socially relevant 20th and 21st century art collections in the world.
Claudia: As we chatted about our shared interest in arts philanthropy, we soon realized that little if any writing or documentation had been collected on these acts of philanthropy. Together we resolved to create stimulating articles in a repository of information that we hope will inspire others to use arts philanthropy for social good.
WM: People often are familiar with the word “philanthropy” in the context of donating money to support a specific cause, but what is “arts philanthropy?”
Claudia: The concepts are similar, but when we speak of arts philanthropy, we are focusing on ways that the arts, in all of its various forms, visual (painting/photography/film) performing (dance/theater/music), writing, and literature might be used to advance social good.
WM: What is the mission of The Arts of Philanthropy, the organization you’ve founded together?
Claudia: Our mission at The Arts of Philanthropy is to shine light on acts of giving that emanate from creative sources. With each edition, we will strive to delve deeper into what arts philanthropy is and how it might evolve. We will ask probing questions like how arts philanthropy can be much more than donating artworks or giving money to an arts organization. We hope to focus on the latest trends and most creative thinking about how philanthropy is enhanced through active involvement in the arts and bring attention to those who are doing the most creative thinking about how to activate art for a broader reach.
Catherine: In addition to arts philanthropists, we will highlight some of the artists, photographers, writers, musicians, and community organizations whose work itself contributes to the common good and makes our world better.
Photo by Deeana Arts from Pexels
WM: In what ways can arts philanthropy be more than just donating artworks or giving money to an arts organization?
Claudia and Catherine: Beyond the many intrinsically inspiring qualities of art – arts for art’s sake – art speaks to what matters most to people at the deepest emotional, intellectual, and spiritual levels. Through art, people of diverse backgrounds can engage in meaningful thinking and conversation about issues of supreme importance like social equity, climate change, and planning for a future that serves all.
Claudia: So, buying, selling, and communicating about art in a social justice context starts the conversation. Then it can flow to selling art to fund such things, organizing an exhibit at a museum to illuminate these issues through the artist's eyes, or supporting an artist’s community cause. For this last example, I take you to the artist Theaster Gates: He’s from Chicago and saw and felt firsthand the need for art and creativity to provide an outlet for youth in impoverished areas. So, instead of just lamenting that situation he spearheaded the “Rebuild Foundation” – a non-profit organization focused on cultural-driven redevelopment and affordable space initiatives in under-resourced communities. Program sites include the Stony Island Arts Bank, the Black Cinema House, the Dorchester Art + Housing Collaborative, Archive House, and Listening House. He archives and supports Black history and creative endeavors. So, by donating to that program started by an artist, you not only make a difference, but you also help show others that it’s possible to make a living as a creator and that money stays local.
WM: Can you discuss some of the latest trends in arts philanthropy?
Claudia: In the wake of George Floyd and the global pandemic, philanthropy is becoming much more democratized. Social justice is paramount and that requires a fundamental shift in philanthropy. It’s no longer about decisions made from on high filtering down. It’s about funders giving up the control they’ve had in the past and letting those who are most directly and immediately impacted assert their needs and make the funding decisions. Also, in this regard Blockchain technology and NFTs are breaking some typical bonds, and some projects have strong social justice missions and use artistic talent in the process. UNICEF, who is trying to bring the internet to schools in Africa, will use an artist to transform the school into a digital art castle attached to an NFT. The proceeds of the sale of that NFT will go towards getting internet to that school.
Catherine: I’m also very interested in how artists themselves are becoming more and more proactive about philanthropy, not simply in ways they have done this in the past, which usually involved personal financial sacrifice, contributing their works to a cause with little remuneration for themselves, but more about raising awareness for issues they are passionate about by creating community around social justice and other issues that matter to them.
WM: Is it possible to share some examples of individuals who have utilized art for philanthropic means?
Claudia: There are so many examples, but we are particularly inspired by Pamela Joyner at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Joyner is the founding partner of Avid Partners, a San Francisco-based marketing firm that provides consulting services for private equity and capital venture funds. Joyner wanted to change the narrative around art at SFMOMA. Prior to her involvement, the museum held very little art by artists of color. She and her husband, Alfred Giuffrida, gave a major gift of 31 paintings, sculptures, and drawings by 20 African American artists, like Beauford Delaney, Romare Bearden, Charles Alston, Elizabeth Catlett, Richard Mayfew, Felrath Hines, and others. It completely transformed the institution.
Catherine: An artist I especially admire is Betty Jo Constanzo, who is originally from the Bay Area who’s now based in Seattle. Betty Jo’s work is inspired by water, and she does all that she can to help the health of our oceans. In 2020, she began donating a portion of each of her LIVING OCEANS paintings towards organizations that are doing important work in this area.
WM: Why do you feel creative thinking about philanthropy is enhanced through active involvement in the arts?
Photo by Nadezhda Moryak from Pexels.
Claudia: Art has the capacity to stir ideas and create conversation. When you observe a work of art, you become an active part of it in the way that you respond or react. Art, whether it is visual or performance-based, film, music, dance, theatre, is not passive. It breathes, it’s alive, it creates catharsis.
WM: Can you share about any specific people who are currently thinking in creatively to activate art for a broader reach?
Claudia: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) is a good example of a group that has inspired some really creative thinking lately about activating art for a broader reach. In October 2020, YBCA formed the YBCA Artist Cohort in partnership with Social Capital Markets (SOCAP). The goal was to provide artists with education, insight, and investment opportunities, empowering them to reframe the power dynamics of investment and rethink capital. They created an Artist-Led Giving Circle, inspired by traditional gifting circles, where participants pool funds together and collectively decide how to use them in support of their communities. YBCA seeded an initial $250,000 to the Giving Circle in service of this work, and the Artist-Led Giving Circle used their collective wisdom to decide how to best distribute this wealth to their communities.
WM: How can readers reach you and Catherine Pyke at The Arts of Philanthropy? What advisory services do you provide?
Claudia: Readers can reach me at: hessartadvisory@gmail.com, (925)997-8133, and @startwithart (Twitter) as well as my website https://www.hessartadvisory.com/
Catherine, who provides values based strategic philanthropy visioning and communication services for individuals and nonprofits, can be reached at catherine@catherinepyke.com and at her website https://www.catherinepyke.com
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