The Alice L. Walton, Ford, and Mellon foundations and Pilot House Philanthropy have announced the launch of the Leadership in Art Museums (LAM) initiative as well as $11 million in funding to augment racial equity in museum leadership.

The five-year initiative aims to increase racial equity in positions such as curators, conservators, collections managers, community engagement staff, educators, and other senior leaders in a manner designed to advance racial equity. Pilot House Philanthropy and the Mellon Foundation are new partners to the initiative. LAM will build on past and existing efforts to create more racial equity in leadership roles across the art museum field, bolstered by the learnings from and impact of recent key initiatives; these include the Diversifying Art Museum Leadership Initiative (DAMLI), the recently created Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums, and related initiatives like the Mellon Foundation’s ongoing Art Museum Staff Demographic Survey to increase diversity in museums.

A 2019 study found that only 1.2 percent of works in all major U.S. museums were created by Black artists, 9 percent by Asian artists, and 2.8 percent by Hispanic/Latinx artists. A competitive and thorough selection process identified 19 museums across the country for LAM grants to create and sustain new leadership positions. The museums have pledged to make these permanent and to develop a diverse pool of applicants in a manner that is inclusive of communities of color, including Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Arab, Asian, and Pacific Islander communities. 

Recent grantees include the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas; the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson; the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri; and the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience in Seattle.

“Ultimately, the future of museums depends on their ability to stay relevant and serve their communities,” said Alice L. Walton. “The LAM museums represent a variety of regions across the [United States], and help ensure that we’re increasing access to museum roles in a way that’s inclusive of communities of color, no matter where the art institution is based. With this dedicated group of funding partners, we’re united in our commitment to achieve long-lasting impact.” 

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Seventy Four)