JACKSONVILLE, FLA.- The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens announced today that it has received a $1 million capacity-building and strategic planning grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

This is the first time that the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens has received an award from this prestigious foundation, which is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. The Mellon Foundation, which does not accept unsolicited grant proposals, invited the Museum to apply for a grant through its Arts and Culture program in March 2022. The grant is categorized by the foundation as a “Visionary Leaders” award within their Arts and Culture program, described online as “supporting visionary artists and practitioners and the participatory roles they play across institutions and communities.”

“We are squarely focused on building upon the Museum’s extraordinary past and working collaboratively to plan its dynamic future,'' said Andrea Barnwell Brownlee, Ph.D., George W. and Kathleen I. Gibbs Director and CEO of the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. “This award bolsters our aim to strengthen our infrastructure and fortify this community asset that will serve generations to come.”

The funds from the grant will be used to build upon the organization's multi-year initiatives, including completing a comprehensive strategic plan, expanding marketing and communications efforts and finalizing the first phase of a campus master plan. These initiatives will sustain the organization’s operations to be responsive in the changing landscape of the arts and culture sector, in order to continue its work as a leading cultural institution that is a relevant resource for Northeast Florida, the region and beyond. 

“This grant from the Mellon Foundation reinforces our shared commitment to building equitable communities and making the arts accessible to all,” said Mari Kuraishi, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens and President of the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. “As we marked the close of our Diamond (60th) anniversary in November 2022, we affirmed our conviction that art and place can transform our sense of self and belonging. This grant will, I believe, be transformative."