The Thoma Foundation recognizes that the arts & education enhance lives and communities. We make art collection-related grants, lend & exhibit our own collection. Through our giving programs, we strive to foster leadership, innovation & equal opportunity.
What We Do
Based in Dallas, the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation collection includes over 1,700 works and spans four broad fields: Art of the Spanish Americas, Digital & Media Art, Japanese Bamboo, and Post-War Painting & Sculpture.
The Foundation’s programs include:
- Artwork loans to venues around the world
- Awards, grants and fellowships to support original scholarship across our collection areas
- Educational opportunities for learners of all ages, such as lectures, symposia, and class visits to our exhibition spaces
- Exhibitions at Art Vault in Santa Fe and at our Headquarters location in Dallas
- Grants to nonprofit organizations for innovative exhibitions, academic programs, convening and publications in our collection areas
Who We Are
Our Mission
The Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation recognizes that the arts and education enhance lives and communities. We make art collection-related grants, as well as lending and exhibiting our own collection. We focus our education funding on the rural Southwest, primarily offering scholarships to students in the greater Texas panhandle. Through these giving programs, we strive to foster leadership, innovation, and equal opportunity.
Our History
Inspired to make contributions with a wide-ranging yet personal impact, Carl and Marilynn Thoma founded the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation in 2014 to distinguish their initiatives in and support of the visual arts. In 2021, the Foundation was renamed the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation to more broadly reflect its expanded philanthropic efforts and initiatives, including the Thoma Scholars Program, which aims to strengthen community, leadership, and education initiatives in under-resourced and rural areas.