The relocation of the Barnes Foundation's world-renowned art collection to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway took a tremendous step forward today as the Annenberg Foundation, The Lenfest Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts announced the completion of a $150-million dollar fundraising campaign. Sixty-five donors from across the Philadelphia region—corporations, foundations and private citizens—pledged their support for preserving Dr. Barnes's legacy of art appreciation and education for all. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania contributed $25 million toward the $150 million goal, and the City of Philadelphia donated the land at 21st Street and the parkway for the site of the new gallery.
“Philadelphians have proven to the world that we are a city that values the arts and shares Dr. Barnes's vision that these spectacular works of art should be seen by everyone,” said Rebecca W. Rimel, president and CEO of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
“The Barnes Foundation is truly grateful for this unprecedented show of support from a diverse, committed and exciting group of donors,” said Dr. Bernard C. Watson, chairman of The Barnes Foundation. “Dr. Albert Barnes established his foundation to promote education and art appreciation for all. Now we can be sure that residents and visitors alike will find it much, much easier to view the Barnes collection and learn from it.”
Donors contributing $10 million or more to The Barnes Foundation are:
The Annenberg Foundation ($30 million)
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ($25 million)
The Pew Charitable Trusts ($20 million)
The Lenfest Foundation ($15 million)
Neubauer Family Foundation ($10 million)
William Penn Foundation ($10 million)
City of Philadelphia (land donation)
Other donors to The Barnes Foundation are:
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Anonymous (3) Jacqueline F. Allen Gisela and Dennis Alter ARAMARK Charitable Fund of the Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program The Arcadia Foundation Arkema Inc. Foundation Stephanie K. Bell-Rose The Binswanger Foundation Blank Rome LLP Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz CIGNA Corporation Citizens Charitable Foundation Comcast Corporation Connelly Foundation Delaware River Port Authority Dilworth Paxson LLP Harold E. Doley, Jr. Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation Duane Morris LLP Andre V. Duggin Exelon Corporation The Glenmede Trust Company The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Agnes Gund and Daniel Shapiro Phoebe W. Haas Charitable Trust B Mrs. Samuel M.V. Hamilton Stephen J. Harmelin Lynne and Harold Honickman Independence Blue Cross |
The Sidney Kimmel Foundation Gwendolyn Stewart King and Colbert I. King John S. and James L. Knight Foundation The Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Ira M. Lubert Maple Hill Foundation David G. and Sandra G. Marshall Robert L. McNeil, Jr. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP Pepper Hamilton LLP Mr. and Mrs. Raymond G. Perelman PNC Foundation Rebecca W. Rimel and Patrick Caldwell Aileen and Brian Roberts Lyn and George Ross The Judith Rothschild Foundation Robin and Mark Rubenstein Neil L. Rudenstine Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP Constance and Joseph Smukler The Sunoco Foundation Brian P. Tierney Bruce and Robbi Toll Verizon Foundation Wachovia Foundation Bernard C. Watson Wilmington Trust |
The $150-million fundraising campaign generates $100 million for the construction of the new gallery on the famed Benjamin Franklin Parkway, a thoroughfare that has been called the “Museum Mile” because of its many cultural institutions. The Barnes Foundation will soon be neighbors with the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Rodin Museum, the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, as well as more than 60 public sculptures, including works by three generations of Calders. The additional $50 million establishes an endowment to provide a secure financial future for The Barnes Foundation.
In September 2002, the Barnes trustees, in looking for a long-term solution to securing the Foundation's financial health and expanding the public's access, sought to relocate its gallery to Philadelphia. The Montgomery County Orphans' Court granted permission for the move in December of 2004. Having the Barnes Foundation's gallery on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will provide a central location where school children, residents and visitors will be introduced to Dr. Barnes's unique approach to education and art appreciation. It will benefit local artists and arts and heritage organizations, and shine an even brighter light on Philadelphia as a world-class cultural destination.
“Great art is the signature of great civilizations. With the addition of The Barnes Foundation to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia strengthens its claim as one of the world's premier cultural cities,” said Joseph Neubauer, a Barnes Foundation trustee and chairman and CEO of ARAMARK Corporation.
About The Barnes Foundation
The Barnes Foundation was established in 1922 by Dr. Albert C. Barnes to “promote the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts.” The foundation's collection of French paintings of the Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and early Modern eras are among the finest in the world. The Barnes is noted for its extraordinary number of masterpieces by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse that provide a depth of work by these artists unavailable elsewhere. Works by Picasso, Seurat, Rousseau, Modigliani, Soutine, Monet, Manet, Degas, Van Gogh and others are only part of the Foundation's incredible holdings.