$5M Gift From Foundation Will Bring Art To UT-Austin Campus

AUSTIN, TX — A $5 million gift by the Austin-based Still Water Foundation to the Blanton Museum of Art and Landmarks represents a major investment in the way people experience art on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin, school officials said on Tuesday.

The foundation will give $5 million to the Blanton’s master plan project to re-imagine and transform the museum grounds, university officials said. Landmarks, the university’s public art program in the College of Fine Arts, will receive $5 million to serve as the foundation of an operating endowment for the organization, officials added.

The investment will propel the initiatives, university officials said, elevating the arts across the Forty Acres and benefitting generations of students and visitors who encounter renowned works of art on campus. Each grant includes a $2 million challenge match that has been designated to inspire additional support.

“The Still Water Foundation’s profound investment will bring visionary new artwork and landscaping to the outdoor spaces of our campus,” UT Austin President Gregory L. Fenves said in a prepared statement. “For over 130 years, the Forty Acres has grown and evolved with each generation. The Still Water Foundation is leaving their own creative imprint on our historic campus, one that will be appreciated and enjoyed by students, scholars and visitors at UT for decades to come.”

Photo provided by UT-Austin.

The Blanton’s master plan project will reshape the footprint and face of the Blanton to create an iconic destination that facilitates the museum’s vision for innovative outdoor programming, according to a press advisory. Moreover, university officials added, it will form a vital connection between the university, the city of Austin and the Texas State Capitol Complex.

“A long-standing supporter of the museum for three decades, the Still Water Foundation has had an impact that can be felt across the Blanton,” Blanton director Simone Wicha said in a prepared statement. “The foundation has helped the Blanton curate an encyclopedic collection of works on paper in one of the most active print study rooms in the country. This recent gift towards the Blanton’s master plan project, one of the museum’s most significant projects, underlines Still Water’s dedication to championing the arts, education and the environment on campus, in Austin and beyond.”

Still Water’s gift to Landmarks will serve as the cornerstone of the organization’s upcoming endowment campaign, officials said, ensuring its ability to serve the campus and community for generations to come. With its collection sited throughout the Forty Acres — more than 40 works of art are on view across campus — Landmarks is often students’ first opportunity to engage with great works of art, university officials added.

The gift's aim: Consolidating Landmarks’ core strengths, positioning the program to expand educational initiatives, outreach to new and more diverse audiences, and conservation and communications efforts, officials said.

“Still Water has supported Landmarks from the outset," Andrée Bober, founder and director of Landmarks, said in a prepared statement. "They understand that having art in our daily lives shapes the ways we see the world and our connections to each other,” said . “Simply put, their gift is transformative. In one bold stroke, it promises the continuation of our award-winning program and enables us to serve the broadest possible community.”

Added Still Water Foundation President Jill Wilkinson: “Landmarks and the Blanton represent outstanding programs at The University of Texas. In making these gifts, our hope is to raise the visibility of the visual arts on campus and to encourage broad participation in the fundraising campaigns. These programs are jewels in our community that all of us should be excited to experience and support.”

About Still Water Foundation

A private family foundation, Still Water is based in Austin and primarily supports organizations in Texas. The foundation’s main areas of concentration include the arts, education and the environment. The foundation is also deeply committed to partnering with rural communities, particularly those in West Texas.