MetLife Foundation Directs Corporate Art Funds to Underserved Creatives
May 12 2022 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
$1.875 million in proceeds from sale of iconic
murals gifted to New York City-based programs that support diverse
young artists
In 1940, MetLife contacted renowned painter and illustrator N.C.
Wyeth with a proposal: Create a large-scale mural series to grace
the walls of its headquarters, then located at One Madison Avenue.
The ambitious collection, entitled The New England Series, was
Wyeth’s last commission before his death in 1945, when his son,
Andrew, and his son-in-law, John McCoy, took on the balance of the
project.
For decades, MetLife employees enjoyed a front-row view of art
history. Today, the global insurer is sustaining its long-standing
commitment to the arts and cultural community by investing in a
young generation of historically marginalized artists.
Three of the murals – The Coming of the Mayflower (N.C. Wyeth),
The Return of the Mayflower (N.C. Wyeth), and Fishermen in a Dory
(Andrew Wyeth and John McCoy) – recently sold for $1.875 million,
and MetLife Foundation will direct the funds to three New York
City-based organizations focused on nurturing the creative
expression of underrepresented artists:
- $625,000 to the Lower Eastside Girls Club in support of its
Alphabet City Art School, a multi-pronged visual arts program that
includes art school classes and workshops, arts enrichment
including mentoring programs, and community engagement.
- $625,000 to the Harlem School of the Arts in support of free
workshops, tuition assistance, and programs focused on painting,
drawing, digital art design, and animation.
- $625,000 to the Urban Arts Partnership in support of its School
of Interactive Arts, which teaches students how to create their own
video games with original art, music, and storytelling
elements.
Collectively, these organizations reach students across New York
City’s five boroughs with arts programming that otherwise may not
be available to them.
“MetLife Foundation’s goal is to break down barriers and expand
opportunity so that more people can pursue their dreams – and no
one dreams bigger than young artists,” said Mike Zarcone, executive
vice president and head of Corporate Affairs for MetLife and
chairman of MetLife Foundation. “These organizations do so much
more than put paintbrushes in the hands of students. They give them
a powerful platform to amplify their voices and use their creative
gifts to positively impact the world.”
To learn more about how MetLife Foundation supports communities
around the world through grants, impact investments, and employee
volunteerism, visit
www.metlife.com/sustainability/MetLife-sustainability/MetLife-Foundation/.
About MetLife MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:
MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (“MetLife”), is one
of the world’s leading financial services companies, providing
insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to
help individual and institutional customers build a more confident
future. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40
markets globally and holds leading positions in the United States,
Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more
information, visit www.metlife.com.
About MetLife Foundation At MetLife
Foundation, we are committed to expanding opportunities for low-
and moderate-income people around the world. We partner with
nonprofit organizations and social enterprises to create financial
health solutions and build stronger communities, while engaging
MetLife employee volunteers to help drive impact. Our financial
health work has reached more than 17.3 million low- and
moderate-income individuals in 42 countries. Learn more at MetLife
Foundation.
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Rachel Pokay 331-452-4122 rpokay@metlife.com
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