As we announced in recent updates, the Murdock Trust is undergoing a sectoral redesign. While we will continue to refine this work through seeking feedback from diverse interest-holders and experts, we are pleased that after months of constituent input and strategic planning, we can share the initial vision and strategy for our five updated sectors. This redesign and the resulting sectoral model do not change the types of organizations we support; they simply recategorize and focus our efforts so that each grant can be better understood as part of the ecosystem in which its ripple effects will be most felt.
This five-part Sector Strategy Blog Series is a chance for each sector’s lead to introduce their vision and strategy. See the other blogs in the series here: Civic Engagement & Community Services; Health & Environmental Stewardship; Education & Leadership Development; and Scientific Research.
Written by Lorin Schmit Dunlop, Senior Director, Artistic & Cultural Expression
UPDATED JANUARY 2025. After several months of living into our new model and leaning into continuous improvement, we have made some minor shifts in how we organize our areas of work. This blog reflects our updated areas.
Across the Pacific Northwest, thriving arts scenes, intriguing cultural institutions, and opportunities to explore our natural world ignite the wonder of learning and discovery. These all contribute to the flourishing of our region and those who call it home. The Artistic & Cultural Expression sector of the Murdock Trust aims to strengthen artistic and cultural nonprofits that create space for all ages to create, connect, and be curious about the world and people around them.
The Arts #
The arts are essential to individual and community well-being. They engage, educate, inspire, and entertain. Hearing a piece of music can take us to a place in our imagination and memories that we could never go otherwise. Gazing at a painting can prompt meaningful moments of insight and empathy. The arts have the power to remind us of the deepest parts of ourselves and say things we often cannot say in words. They preserve cultural heritage, provide alternatives to isolation, and spark imagination to explore difficult and important questions. Access to arts opportunities is essential for a living, breathing, dreaming, and thriving community.
The Murdock Trust provides grants to nonprofits that create inclusive spaces to engage with the arts and strengthen the community of Pacific Northwest artists. From community theaters and visual arts programs to media groups and residencies, these organizations welcome those from all backgrounds and walks of life into the experience of making and appreciating art. Strategic project grants are intended to build capacity in these nonprofits, which in turn can strengthen local economies and the entire arts sector.
Cultural Institutions #
Cultural institutions can engage us in experiences that reveal things we would not normally see. Museums and heritage sites that preserve and honor unique cultural stories uphold our shared humanity. Zoos, aquariums, and gardens foster curiosity about the natural world and bring us closer to one another through a shared appreciation for science and creation. Cultural institutions are also places of public learning, bringing students and families hands-on experiences like petting starfish, walking through gardens, and holding cultural artifacts.
Through programs, camps, and classes, these experiences engage the senses and inspire further learning and action. The Murdock Trust funds projects that foster this important work in innovative ways, welcoming new audiences and embracing emerging technology to create engaged communities.
Looking Ahead & Working Together #
The Artistic & Cultural Expression area of the Trust’s work offers the potential for a brighter future. Within this sector lies our future artists inspiring creative connections and leaders finding innovative ways to preserve and share cultural legacies. The hope is that this work will lead to more engaged communities and collaboration across sectors, such as art therapy offered in recovery centers, affordable housing solutions for working artists, and partnerships between botanical gardens and environmental stewardship groups. These broaden the opportunities for deep empathy across communities and increase the potential for lasting change.
Our founder, Jack Murdock, wanted to see a Pacific Northwest where every individual, family, and community had the opportunity to thrive. We cannot do this work without arts and culture, and we cannot do it without the nonprofits that bring the common good to fruition in our community.
Learn more about the Artistic & Cultural Expression sector here.