Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts facts for kids
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Founded | 1956 |
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Type | Non-profit organization |
Location |
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The Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts is a special non-profit group. It helps people share new and exciting ideas about architecture. Architecture is the art and science of designing buildings.
The Foundation supports projects that explore how buildings and design affect our lives. They give money (called grants) to individuals and groups. They also put on cool art shows, events, and publish books.
You can find the Graham Foundation in the historic Madlener House in Chicago. Since it started in 1956, the Foundation has given out over 4,400 grants.
Contents
Grants for Creative Projects
The Graham Foundation offers two main types of grants to individuals. These are for "Production and Presentation" and "Research and Development." Think of grants as money given to help people create amazing projects.
How Projects Are Chosen
The Foundation looks for four main things when choosing projects:
- Originality: Is the idea new and unique?
- Impact: Can the project make a real difference?
- Feasibility: Is the project possible to complete?
- Capacity: Does the person or group have the skills to do it?
The Graham Foundation wants to help new artists and thinkers grow. They also support projects that might not happen without their help. A group of 11 trusted leaders, called the Board of Trustees, picks the grant winners each year. Famous people like John Ronan and Theaster Gates have been on this board.
Examples of Past Projects
Grant winners have created many different things. These include interactive art shows, workshops, books, and even documentary films.
Some past projects include:
- A photo study of all the finished buildings by a famous architect named Le Corbusier.
- An online history project about building homes for people without houses in New York City.
The Foundation has also helped publish important architecture books. These include Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture by Robert Venturi. Another famous book they supported is Rem Koolhaas's Delirious New York.
In 2020, the Graham Foundation gave out 52 awards. These grants totaled $320,800. This money helped fund important projects. These projects will help shape the future of architecture and our built world.
Public Events and Learning
The Graham Foundation wants everyone to learn about architecture. They want people to talk about how buildings affect society and culture. Because of this, they host many public events.
What You Can See and Do
The Foundation has several cool spaces open to visitors:
- Galleries: These show off different art and architecture exhibits.
- Outdoor Collection: You can see pieces of old buildings outside.
- Archive: This is a collection of books and works from past grant winners.
- Ballroom: This large room is used for talks and events.
Many famous architects have given talks or shown their work here. Some of these include Rem Koolhaas, Denise Scott Brown, Robert Venturi, Buckminster Fuller, and Louis Kahn.
The Graham Foundation Bookshop
Inside the Madlener House, you'll also find the Graham Foundation Bookshop. This shop sells books that the Foundation has helped publish. It also has international magazines and rare books about architecture and city planning.