New Center Made Possible with Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Grant
The International Center of Photography (ICP) has received a $750,000 grant over three years from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to create a Center for Visual Culture. The funding will strengthen public humanities programming and content development at ICP.
The Center will bring together diverse communities—museumgoers, students, alumni, faculty, and members—and lead cross-disciplinary discourse and public engagement about the ever-transforming photographic practice and the impact of visual culture in the contemporary world.
"In launching the Center, ICP will advance public understanding of key questions about photography and ensure our leadership role in this conversation. Our commitment to concerned photography distinguishes us and the redevelopment of interpretive content and public program delivery is at the core of our vision for the future of our organization," said Mark Lubell, Executive Director, ICP.
"We are grateful to the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for this important grant. We're thrilled ICP will be able develop robust, substantive public programs, which draw broad audiences and have notable impact on the field, host an annual symposium, and create and archive original content for ICP-owned and external publications," added Lubell.
The Center's staff will discern and develop innovative ideas and leading scholarship on photography and visual media from around the world; facilitate meaningful partnerships between the public and private sectors to enrich discourse; and find ways to engage local and global communities.
Leveraging the broad expertise of ICP faculty, curators, and program staff, the Center will centralize public program planning and find ways to bring ICP's distinctive Collection to life, while exploring current events impacting image-making. It will serve as a forum for internal debate about program direction in all departments, support ICP's commitment to expand digital content, and foster partnerships that generate cultural and financial resources.