The largest gift in the Amon Carter’s history will fund exhibition and education projects at the Fort Worth museum of American art.
The $20 million endowment, announced Tuesday, comes from the Walton Family Foundation and Alice Walton, the Walmart heiress and a former member of the Amon Carter Museum’s board of trustees. The money will go to the museum over five years, according to a press release.
“This amazing endowment allows us to expand our offerings beyond what our current operating budget provides, and to engage the community on a deeper level,” Andrew J. Walker, the museum’s executive director, says in a statement.
The press release from the museum is copied below:
FORT WORTH, Texas—The Amon Carter Museum of American Art announces that it has been awarded an unprecedented endowment from the Walton Family Foundation. The museum will receive $20 million over five years. This gift honoring the Amon Carter’s longtime President of the Board Ruth Carter Stevenson (1923–2013) is the largest in the museum’s history and establishes an endowment to support future exhibition and education initiatives.
Patron of the arts and philanthropist Alice Walton served on the Amon Carter’s Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2015. Walton is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, and is on the board of the Walton Family Foundation.
Karen Hixon, Amon Carter Board of Trustees President and Stevenson’s daughter, remarked on this monumental contribution, “Mother and Alice were great friends and shared an extraordinary love and knowledge of art—visionaries both. Alice has been an important part of the Amon Carter and its board for many years. I am thankful for all she has taught me, and words cannot express my gratitude for this gift from the Walton Family Foundation in Mother’s honor.”
As a result of the endowment, curators will have the opportunity to host and organize temporary exhibitions that foster new scholarship, are innovative in the field, or complement themes and artists present in the Amon Carter’s permanent collection; education staff will enhance programs for both students and teachers.
“This amazing endowment allows us to expand our offerings beyond what our current operating budget provides, and to engage the community on a deeper level,” says Andrew J. Walker, executive director. “The Amon Carter is truly grateful for this tremendous demonstration of support.”
