Matisse Foundation Celebrates 30 Years of Arts Education Funding in NYC

The foundation focuses on bringing arts programs to public middle and high schools.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 6:53pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of various art supplies like paintbrushes and colored pencils repeated in a tight grid pattern, conceptually representing the Matisse Foundation's commitment to arts education.The Matisse Foundation's grants help ensure New York City students have access to a well-rounded education that includes the arts.Brooklyn Today

The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation, established in 1995 by the late Maria-Gaetana von Spreti Matisse, has spent the past three decades funding arts education programs in New York City public, charter, and parochial schools. The foundation also supports scholarly research in the arts, loans works of art to museums, and awards grants to arts and cultural organizations.

Why it matters

The Matisse Foundation's commitment to arts education in New York City schools comes at a critical time, as many public schools have faced budget cuts that have reduced funding for arts programs. The foundation's grants help ensure students have access to a well-rounded education that includes the arts.

The details

The foundation's grantmaking is focused on three main areas: arts education programs in NYC schools, scholarly research in the arts, and project grants to museums, libraries, and universities. For arts education, the foundation awards three types of grants - general Arts and Arts Education grants, Arts Education Schools Choose grants for NYC public middle and high schools, and Arts Education Impact grants for organizations developing arts programs in city schools and communities.

  • The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation was established in 1995.
  • Tana Matisse, the wife of art dealer Pierre Matisse, left the bulk of her estate to the foundation when she died in 2001.
  • The foundation accepts letters of inquiry for its Arts and Arts Education grants each fall, typically from November through December.

The players

The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation

A foundation established in 1995 that funds arts education programs in New York City, supports scholarly research in the arts, and awards grants to arts and cultural organizations.

Maria-Gaetana von Spreti Matisse

Also known as Tana Matisse, she was the wife of art dealer Pierre Matisse and left the bulk of her estate to the foundation when she died in 2001.

Pierre Matisse

An art dealer and collector who was the youngest child of the celebrated 20th century French painter Henri Matisse.

Project Art

A grantee organization that used Matisse Foundation funding to expand its programs bringing youth visual arts classes and studio space to public libraries.

City Lore

A grantee organization that runs in-school programs for grades 3-8 involving poetry and spoken word traditions from around New York City and the world.

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What’s next

The Matisse Foundation will continue accepting letters of inquiry for its Arts and Arts Education grants each fall, typically from November through December. Prospective applicants for the foundation's other grant programs, such as the Arts Education Impact Grants and Schools Choose Grants, will need to be invited to apply.

The takeaway

The Matisse Foundation's longstanding commitment to bringing arts education to New York City's public schools is a testament to the power of private philanthropy to help fill gaps in funding and ensure all students have access to a well-rounded curriculum that includes the arts. As public school budgets remain tight, the foundation's grants play a critical role in sustaining and expanding arts programs for middle and high school students.