SAN ANTONIO, TX.- The McNay Art Museum announced an award of $1.5 million in operating support over the next 18 months from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the nation’s largest funder of the arts and humanities.

This first-time support of the McNay comes from Mellon’s Art Museum Futures Fund (AMFF), a new COVID-19 relief initiative (announced today) created to help sustain mid-sized art museums with immediate funding as they adapt to unprecedented financial obstacles posed by this worldwide health crisis.




“We are profoundly grateful to The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for recognizing our role in the health and happiness of San Antonio,” said Richard Aste, McNay Director and CEO. “We have a long road ahead, and Mellon’s major support during the pandemic enables the McNay to continue leaning into our mission of engaging a diverse community in the discovery and enjoyment of the visual arts.”

The McNay was the only museum selected in Texas—and one among twelve in the nation—to receive this grant in recognition of a sustained commitment to inclusive, community-driven work. According to Mellon, each AMFF grantee “serves as a crucial steward of their distinguished collections, demonstrates an exceptional commitment to local communities, and regularly offers programming that engages with the richness and complexity of the American experience.”

From dynamic art programming that is co-created with community partners to a transformative Landscape Master Plan that physically opens up the Museum’s campus to San Antonio’s diverse community, the McNay strives to bring more inspiration, hope, and affirmation to everyone through art. In these unprecedented times, the Museum remains focused on being a safe place where visitors see themselves reflected in our outstanding collections and relevant exhibitions.