In a significant move to preserve and enhance the visibility of Black cultural heritage, the Getty Foundation has awarded $1.5 million in grants throughout 2025. This funding supports seven institutions across the United States as part of its ongoing Black Visual Arts Archives initiative, designed to improve the organization, digitization, and accessibility of artistic archives created by and about Black artists.
The grants enable institutions like the Amistad Research Center in New Orleans and California State University Los Angeles to hire specialized archivists. For instance, Emory University will bring on a processing archivist dedicated to the collection and contextualization of Atlanta documentary photographer Jim Alexander’s work, including the development of an oral history project to enrich the narrative surrounding his visual legacy.
This year’s awards also reflect a wide-ranging effort, from the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum in Washington, D.C., to New York’s library and cultural centers. The New York Public Library, for example, is using funding to create a digital zine highlighting exhibitions curated by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, which plays a critical role in preserving Black cultural history.
The Getty Foundation’s support extends beyond preservation; it fuels innovative projects such as Temple University’s creation of a virtual reality game aimed at simulating research experiences around exhibitions held at Philadelphia’s Pyramid Club, historically the city’s only Black-owned art gallery.
Since its pilot phase in 2022, this program has allocated a total of $2.6 million, supporting institutions dedicated to conserving the cultural contributions of Black artists, architects, and communities. Notably, archives of prominent figures like architect Paul R. Williams have received attention, underscoring the Getty’s commitment to diversified cultural narratives.
In light of ongoing social and political challenges to Black heritage initiatives, the Getty Foundation’s investment affirms the importance of safeguarding these archives against erasure and neglect. It fosters scholarship, public programming, and community engagement, leveraging archival work to deepen understanding of Black artistic resilience and achievement.
The program’s impact will be showcased at upcoming conferences such as the Society of American Archivists meeting in Anaheim, illustrating how comprehensive archival preservation is pivotal to telling fuller stories of American art. As emphasized by Getty Foundation leaders, including Senior Program Officer Miguel de Baca, true representation in cultural history requires robust support for Black artists’ archival records.
Through this initiative, the Getty Foundation ensures that Black visual art legacies not only survive but thrive, accessible to both scholars and the wider public for generations to come.
Keywords and Anchor Texts Integrated in Content
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Getty Foundation
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Black Visual Arts Archives
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Jim Alexander
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Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
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Paul R. Williams archive
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Temple University virtual reality project
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African American Art History Initiative
Image Sources Reference (for embedding)
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Getty Foundation headquarters (Getty Foundation)
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Archival photos from Jim Alexander collection (Emory University Archives)
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Digital zine visuals from New York Public Library project
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Virtual reality game concept from Temple University
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Historical photos of the Pyramid Club, Philadelphia
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the main purpose of the Getty Foundation’s Black Visual Arts Archives initiative?
A: It aims to preserve and provide access to Black artists’ archives, supporting their documentation, digitization, and public engagement.
Q: Which institutions benefited from the 2025 grants?
A: Grants were awarded to diverse institutions such as the Amistad Research Center, California State University Los Angeles, Emory University, Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, and New York Public Library.
Q: How do these grants help archival projects?
A: They fund archivist positions, digitization, new outreach projects like virtual reality experiences, and historical enrichment via oral histories and exhibitions.
Q: Why is supporting Black visual arts archives important now?
A: Because it counters challenges to Black heritage preservation and highlights the artistic and cultural contributions of Black communities.
Q: Are additional grants expected for this program?
A: Yes, the Getty Foundation encourages ongoing applications to further develop the Black Visual Arts Archives initiative.