The Moody Foundation has donated $20 million to the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas at Austin.
The gift is to reimagine and transform the museum's grounds.
Blanton Director Simone Wicha and UT President Greg L. Fenves announced the gift at the museum's 2019 Gala on Saturday.
"I'm thrilled to share news of this historic gift from The Moody Foundation, which launches the next phase of growth for the Blanton," Wicha said. "We are deeply grateful to Blanton National Leadership Board member Elle Moody for being an ardent champion of the museum and to the full board of the Foundation for their visionary investment in this transformative project."
"Today, the Moody Foundation strengthens its legacy of philanthropy by making an unparalleled investment in the future of UT's Blanton Museum of Art," Fenves said. "I am sincerely grateful to the Foundation for this extraordinary gift. The Blanton collections inspire thousands of scholars, students and art lovers from around the world to visit our city and university each year. With a beautifully reimagined exterior, the Blanton will continue to expand its reputation as one of the premier destinations for fine art in Texas."
The gift is one of the largest ever granted to benefit Austin's fine arts community and the largest ever given in support of Austin's outdoor spaces.
"The Moody Foundation has a long history with the Blanton, and we are extremely pleased to contribute to such a significant project. As a young visitor growing up in Austin, this museum taught me that art is a vital social force to inspire and unite communities," Elle Moody said. "The Blanton continues to make great strides in bringing world-class art experiences to visitors from Central Texas and beyond, and we are honored to support this exciting new chapter."
Details of the Blanton master plan are expected to be released this summer. The design will reshape much of the outdoor area surrounding Ellsworth Kelly's Austin and the Michener Gallery Building and Edgar A. Smith building.
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