Arts & Culture
The arts expand our horizons and help our communities thrive.
The arts inspire and engage people, bring creativity and vibrancy to communities, and strengthen local economies. The arts attract visitors that support local businesses. Public art projects bring communities together and help citizens experience familiar places in exciting new ways. Everyone should have the opportunity to experience all that the arts have to offer. By finding creative ways to use technology, arts and culture organizations can make more of their offerings available to more people, more of the time.
Timeline
2021
March 2021 Bloomberg Philanthropies Invites U.S. Cities to Apply for Grants and Guidance to Transform Streets and Public Spaces Through the Asphalt Art Initiative
During CityLab 2021, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced it will award up to 20 U.S. cities Asphalt Art Initiative grants for arts-driven street redesigns that improve safety, revitalize public spaces, and engage local communities.
2020
March 2020
Bloomberg Philanthropies joins 17 other foundations and private funders to create the NYC COVID-19 Response and Impact Fund, providing grants and loans to New York City-based social services and cultural organizations to support them in the coronavirus pandemic.
2019
November 2019
Mike has helped museums stay current with the latest trends in technology since the launch of in-museum audio guides in 1999. To continue that commitment of enhancing visitors experiences through technology, Bloomberg Philanthropies launches the Bloomberg Connects app - available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
October 2019
Bloomberg Philanthropies launches the Asphalt Art Initiative, encouraging cities to use art and design to improve street safety and public spaces, and engage communities. It launches with the Asphalt Art Guide, featuring case studies and best practices from global cities, and a grant for small and mid-sized U.S. cities to implement their own projects.
January 2019
Camden was named the fifth and final winning city of the 2018 Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge. The city will receive $1 million for the project “A New View,” which will transform illegal dumping sites into art spaces.
January 2019
Tulsa, OK was selected as the fourth winner of the 2018 Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge. The city will receive $1 million for the project “The Greenwood Art Project,” a group of temporary public artworks which will celebrate the Historic Greenwood District known as Black Wall Street.
2018
November 2018
Mike Bloomberg joined Jackson, MS Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba to announce the city a Bloomberg Philanthropies 2018 Public Art Challenge winner. Jackson will receive up to $1 million for “Fertile Ground,” which will use art to explore food access.
November 2018
The City of Coral Springs, FL, in partnership with the City of Parkland, FL, was announced a 2018 Public Art Challenge winner. The cities will receive $1 million for their project “Inspiring Community Healing After Gun Violence: The Power of Art.”
November 2018
Mike Bloomberg joined Mayor Berkowitz in Anchorage to announce the city as a 2018 Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge Winner, receiving a $1 million grant to address climate change and economic development through art.
October 2018
Gary, IN Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson and artist Theaster Gates hosted a conversation at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge-winning “ArtHouse: A Social Kitchen” to discuss entrepreneurship, community building, and using non-profit culture as a driver of urban revitalization.
August 2018
Bloomberg Philanthropies Names 85 Cultural Organizations in Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh to Participate in Arts Innovation and Management Training Program
August 2018
Bloomberg Philanthropies announces the 45 cultural organizations in Atlanta, GA that will be receiving funding through the expansion of the Arts Innovation and Management program. This program will provide general operating support to small and midsize arts groups throughout Atlanta.
June 2018
The Serpentine Galleries opens a Bloomberg Philanthropies supported exhibition, “Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Barrels and The Mastaba 1958-2018,” tracing the artists’ 60-year history of using barrels and coinciding with the London Mastaba in Serpentine Lake.
June 2018
Mike Bloomberg visits Christo’s The London Mastaba, floating in the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, London through Sept. 23. Widely anticipated, this temporary sculpture is expected to generate approx. 150 million pounds in economic activity (site: LSE).
May 2018
Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, The New York Botanical Garden launches an interactive mobile guide that includes features like 360-degree videos, engaging audio, and filters for visitors to share their experience on social media as they explore the Georgia O’Keeffe exhibit.
May 2018
Bloomberg Philanthropies announces the expansion of the arts innovation and management program (AIM) with a $43 million investment in small and midsize cultural organizations across seven cities nationwide.
April 2018
With a decade’s support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Met Museum’s 2018 Cantor Roof Garden Commission brings new sculptures by artist Huma Bhabha.
March 2018
Bloomberg’s new European headquarter
s in London is located on one of the UK’s most significant archaeological sites – a temple dedicated to the Roman god Mithras. Bloomberg has created an innovative museum experience to accompany the site that will change the way we encounter archaeology.
February 2018
Bloomberg Philanthropies launched a new round of its Public Art Challenge. Mayors of U.S. cities with 30,000 residents or more are invited to apply for up to $1 million in funding for temporary public art projects that address important civic issues.
2017
May 2017
As a supporter of the Shed in Hudson Yards from its conception over a decade ago, Mike Bloomberg helps see it through to completion. The Shed is another example of Bloomberg’s belief that arts and culture have a power to anchor communities in cities worldwide.
2016
November 2016
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Art Challenge winning-city Gary, Indiana opens “ArtHouse: A Social Kitchen” bringing the community together through food, culture and art.
November 2016
A Bloomberg Connects grantee, the American Museum of Natural History launches the Explorer 2.0 app, giving visitors a new way to explore the Museum through unique activities and experiences.
October 2016
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Art Challenge winning-city Spartanburg, South Carolina opens “Seeing Spartanburg,” bringing nine temporary art installations to public spaces in ten neighborhoods throughout the city.
September 2016
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Art Challenge winning-cities Albany, Schnectady and Troy open “Breathing Lights,” illuminating the windows of hundreds of vacant buildings to regenerate interest in once-vibrant neighborhoods that currently have high vacancy rates.
September 2016
Bloomberg Connects grantee Art Institute of Chicago launches a new mobile app to provide visitors with a new, engaging experience when navigating the museum’s galleries.
July 2016
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Art Challenge winning-city Los Angeles, California opens “Current:LA Water,” the city’s first public art biennial. Through working with local artists, the project addresses the problem of drought and water conservation in the state.
June 2016
New interactive digital products are introduced at the Tate Modern through Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Bloomberg Connects initiative, allowing visitors and students to visualize their ideas and creativity.
May 2016
SFMOMA re-opens with new digital experience through a partnership with Bloomberg Connects, which combines audio content with cutting-edge indoor positioning technology.
May 2016
New York Botanical Garden, a Bloomberg Philanthropies’ grantee, launches its mobile guide for 2016 summer exhibition on Impressionism.
May 2016
Lincoln Center launches the Core and Tour apps, with features including personalized tours, ticketing and drink orders, all supported by Bloomberg Connects.
April 2016
The Brooklyn Museum launches Bloomberg Connects supported ASK app, where visitors can ask questions or chat in real time with curators about artwork. You’ll be connected with a team of art educators who know the collection, can answer questions, and can give you recommendations on what to see next.
2015
December 2015
During COP21 in Paris, artist Olafur Eliasson and geologist Minik Rosing, unveil Ice Watch Paris, a public art installation supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies showcasing 80 tonnes of ice from a fjord outside Nuuk, Greenland with the aim of inspiring public action against climate change.
June 2015
Bloomberg Philanthropies announces the 4 winning cities in the Public Art Challenge: Albany, Troy & Schenectady, NY, Gary, IN, Los Angeles, CA & Spartanburg, SC. Proposals address social themes, such as revitalization of downtown areas, waterfronts & vacant neighborhoods.
May 2015
Through funding and support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, as part of the Bloomberg Connects program, the New York Botanical Garden launches a unique mobile experience for visitors to engage with its FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life exhibition.
April 2015
Bloomberg Philanthropies announces the nationwide expansion of the Arts Innovation and Management program, which seeks to strengthen 260 small- and mid-sized organizations in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
March 2015
Bloomberg Philanthropies announces the 12 finalist cities in the Public Art Challenge. Proposals cover a range of areas such as the revitalization of decayed downtown areas, underutilized waterfronts, and vacant neighborhoods and address various social themes.
March 2015
A digital pen is introduced as the core element of the new visitor experience at the reopened Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, funded through Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Bloomberg Connects initiative.
2014
October 2014
Bloomberg Philanthropies launches the Public Art Challenge, inviting U.S. mayors to collaborate with artists and arts organizations to develop innovative projects that engage residents, attract visitors, and transforms public spaces. At least three cities will each receive up to $1 million.
September 2014
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ rebrands its global Digital Engagement Initiative as Bloomberg Connects and commits another $17 million for cultural institutions to develop digital tools that engage visitors with cultural institutions.
May 2014
The National September 11 Memorial Museum opens to the public. Mike Bloomberg, appointed Chairman of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in 2006, helps bring the project to fruition.
2013
December 2013
New York City expects to reach 54.3 million visitors by the end of 2013, a new all-time high and an increase of nearly 20 million additional annual tourists from 2002. The city is also on pace to reach 55 million annual visitors by 2014.
November 2013
Mayor Bloomberg becomes known as New York City’s “Arts Mayor.” The Department of Cultural Affairs becomes the largest single arts funder in the U.S. and overhauls the grants process to expand access and equity, increasing the number of recipient non-profits by 34%.
June 2013
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Digital Engagement Initiative funds the development of mobile apps at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Jewish Museum, the Met Museum, MoMA, Tate Modern, the Met Opera, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Guggenheim Museum.
May 2013
Mayor Bloomberg and Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan announce the opening of Broadway in Times Square to pedestrians for the first time, creating a world-class plaza, improving traffic safety and local economic performance.
January 2013
Mayor Bloomberg celebrates the 30th Anniversary of New York’s Percent for Art Program. During the Bloomberg Administration, the city completes over 100 commissions, comprising 30% of the entire portfolio.
2012
October 2012
Mayor Bloomberg cuts the ribbon on the completed Lincoln Center redevelopment. During the Bloomberg Administration, $3 billion in capital funding was directed to hundreds of arts organizations for over 600 projects citywide.
September 2012
Mayor Bloomberg breaks ground on the third and final section of the High Line, which is planned to extend one half mile beyond the current northern end of the High Line park and has welcomed more than ten million visitors since it opened in 2009.
June 2012
Bloomberg Philanthropies begins Bloomberg Arts Internship Program, providing NYC public high school seniors paid summer internships at cultural non-profits, along with activities to create workforce experience, develop knowledge of arts as a civic resource, and prepare students to apply to college.
January 2012
Bloomberg LP supports the London Cultural Olympiad projects, including Elizabeth Streb’s One ExtraOrdinary Day, World Stages and Winning Words.
2011
September 2011
Bloomberg Philanthropies partners with other major foundations on ArtPlace, a National Endowment for the Arts-led initiative to support creative placemaking in communities across the U.S.
September 2011
The 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center opens to the public. Mayor Bloomberg, Chairman of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, joins a special dedication ceremony to the victims’ families. The Memorial sees more than 5 million visitors each year.
January 2011
Bloomberg Philanthropies launches a two-year, $35 million grant program called Arts Advancement for the New York City cultural community. The program supports 245 small and mid-sized organizations across the five boroughs and strengthens the long-term capacity of these groups.
2010
July 2010
Bloomberg Philanthropies funds the American Museum of Natural History’s Explorer – the first museum app to provide GPS location awareness indoors – providing turn-by-turn navigation.
June 2010
The newest section of Brooklyn Bridge Park at Pier 6 opens to the public and features a playground with a water play space, 21 swings, slides, a 6,000-square-foot sandbox and a marsh garden. (Photo courtesy: Brooklyn Bridge Park)
April 2010
Mayor Bloomberg unveils the finalized plan for a $220 million renovation of Governors Island, complete with flowering terraces, boardwalks, marshland, and mountainscapes. Starting in 2012, construction will begin on the 172-acre island.
March 2010
The first portion of Pier 1 at Brooklyn Bridge Park officially opens. When complete, the Park will be a sustainably-built and operated 85-acre park stretching 1.3 miles along Brooklyn’s East River edge. (Photo by Alex Maclean)
2009
June 2009
Bloomberg Philanthropies funds The Met Live in HD bringing opera to nearly 2M people around the world through High-Definition transmissions of live performances from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.
June 2009
The first section of the High Line, a new public park built on top of a 1930s-era elevated rail line, opens to the public. The High Line is the first public park of its kind in the U.S. and the culmination of more than three years of construction and ten years of planning.
April 2009
Mayor Bloomberg joins the opening of the Yankee Stadium, the new home of the New York Yankees in the Bronx, and the opening of the New York Mets’ new stadium, Citi Field in Flushing, Queens.
January 2009
Mayor Bloomberg supports the launch of the Cultural Data Project (CDP) in New York State. CDP is an online fiscal management tool designed to strengthen arts organizations and gather reliable, longitudinal data on the cultural sector.
2008
June 2008
The City unveils artist Olafur Eliasson’s The New York City Waterfalls, a major work of public art. The temporary exhibition of four man-made waterfalls are a beautiful symbol of the energy and vitality of the city’s waterfront in all five boroughs.
2007
June 2007
Bloomberg Philanthropies funds Roof Garden Commissions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, supporting annual exhibitions of site–specific outdoor works of contemporary art.
January 2007
Mayor Bloomberg supports United States Artists, a consortium investing in innovative, accomplished artists at all stages of their careers, who are nominated by their peers and field experts for their fresh perspectives, unique artistic vision, and impact in their field.
2006
December 2006
Mayor Bloomberg creates a unique public-private partnership to conserve the City’s historically significant portrait collection on display at City Hall and establish an endowment for the collection’s long-term care.
October 2006
Mayor Bloomberg is named Chairman of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and is critical to bringing the project into fruition. The Memorial receives over 5 million visitors a year and the Museum receives 1.4 million visitors in its first 6 months.
2005
May 2005
Governors Island becomes open to the public. At the beginning of the Administration, Governors Island was little more than an abandoned and neglected green space. By 2013, Governors Island becomes a major attraction for New Yorkers and visitors.
February 2005
Christo and Jeanne: Claude’s “The Gates” in Central Park attracts 4 million visitors in 16 days, generating $254 million to the City’s economy. This is one of almost 500 temporary public art projects hosted in New York City over the course of the Bloomberg Administration.
2004
April 2004
To increase civic recognition of the City’s diverse, dynamic creative sector, Mayor Bloomberg revives the Mayor’s Awards for Arts and Culture, the Handel Medallion, and the Doris C. Freedman Award; and establishes the Literary Awards.
2002
March 2002
Mayor Bloomberg and New York Governor George Pataki unveil Tribute in Light, a temporary memorial installation marking the six-month anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Tribute In Light honors all those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 and serves as a symbol of hope for the city.
2000
June 2000
Bloomberg LP sponsors Ilya and Emilia Kabakov’s “Palace of Projects,” a Public Art Fund commission at the 69th Regiment Armory in NYC. Photo: Public Art Fund
March 2000
Visual art becomes a required component of buildings endowed by Mike Bloomberg, resulting in commissions by Mary Miss for Princeton University Institute of Advanced Study, Sol LeWitt, and Spencer Finch at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
1999
March 1999
Bloomberg LP begins to sponsor audio guides at museums starting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Today, Bloomberg Philanthropies is now the leading funder of digital access initiatives at cultural organizations through its Bloomberg Connects program.
1998
March 1998
Bloomberg LP sponsors Rachel Whiteread’s first public art instillation in the United States “Water Tower” on a SoHo rooftop, now in the permanent collection of MoMA.
1997
March 1997
First year of Bloomberg LP corporate sponsorship champions access and creative vision. Projects include the reopening of the Lincoln Center Festival, Royal Shakespeare Company’s residency at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Andy Warhol at the Whitney Museum, and Keith Haring on Park Avenue.