David Hockney Foundation Inc.

The David Hockney Foundation is a private operating foundation, not a grantmaking foundation. It has awarded $0 in external grants from 2018 through 2024, instead conducting all charitable activities directly through its art lending program and website. Organizations should not submit unsolicited funding requests, as the foundation explicitly states it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. However, museums and galleries can potentially partner with the foundation through its art lending program, which loans hundreds of works from its 8,000+ piece collection to exhibitions worldwide each year. The path to engagement is through exhibition proposals and institutional relationships, not grant applications. The foundation is led by David Hockney (President/CEO, unpaid) and Shannan Kelly (Secretary/CFO), with directors Douglas Baxter and Jean Pierre G De Lima. Contact: (213) 321-1811, 7508 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046.

The David Hockney Foundation operates on a fundamentally different model from typical grantmaking foundations. Despite holding $224.6 million in assets (primarily artwork valued at approximately $207M), the foundation has made zero external grants since at least 2018. All charitable disbursements ($1.33 million in 2024) fund direct program operations: the art lending program, website maintenance, and exhibition facilitation. Revenue in 2024 was $1.3 million ($982K contributions, $60K dividends, $257K asset sales), while expenses were $1.48 million, creating a modest operating deficit. Cash and investments total approximately $17.7 million separate from the art collection. The foundation received a significant $15.7 million contribution in 2021. There is no grant application cycle, no published funding guidelines, and no history of distributing funds to external organizations.

The foundation remains actively engaged in supporting major David Hockney exhibitions worldwide. In 2025, the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris is hosting David Hockney 25 (April-August 2025), featuring over 400 works spanning seven decades including pieces from the Foundation collection. In 2024, the foundation supported David Hockney: Normandism at Musee des Beaux-Arts de Rouen (March-November 2024) as part of Festival Normandie Impressionniste, and Hockney and Piero: A Longer Look at the National Gallery in London. Revenue increased 36.8% in 2024 to $1.3M, with expenses up 45% to $1.48M, suggesting expanded lending and exhibition activity.

The David Hockney Foundation does not function as a grantmaker and should not be approached for funding. However, arts organizations can engage with the foundation in the following ways: (1) Exhibition loan requests: Museums and galleries seeking to borrow Hockney works should contact the foundation directly at (213) 321-1811 or through institutional channels. The foundation loans hundreds of works annually and appears receptive to well-curated exhibition proposals. (2) Build institutional credibility: The foundation lends to prestigious institutions (National Gallery London, Fondation Louis Vuitton, Palm Springs Art Museum), so demonstrated curatorial expertise and proper facilities are essential. (3) Understand the collection scope: The foundation holds 8,000+ works spanning Hockney 70-year career across painting, drawing, digital art, photography, and video. (4) Consider the UK entity: The David Hockney Foundation (UK) Limited (Charity 1127262) is a separate entity that may have different programs for UK-based institutions. (5) For actual grant funding related to visual arts, consider alternatives such as the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, or the Joan Mitchell Foundation, which actively make grants to artists and arts organizations.