What a year

Tom’s Legacy, Your Legacy, and Our Shared Legacy

Dear Friends of TOM’s Foundation,

2023 was an incredible year for us. The theme for all of our activities this year has been “All Roads Lead to TOM”, with the idea that Tom of Finland is at the nexus of so many different communities. Spring saw the Art & Culture Festival debut in Berlin, as well as the largest survey of Tom of Finland’s work ever mounted at the national gallery, Kiasma, in Helsinki; nearly 180,000 attendees visited the exhibition.

Over the summer the Art & Culture Festival returned to London, this time at Kings Cross’ Standard Hotel. During Pride Month, The AllTogether Clubhouse, a continuation of last year’s AllTogether exhibitions in Venice and Paris, showcased works by previous Foundation Artists-in-Residence and others connected to New York nightlife. This past autumn our Festival in Los Angeles occurred at Soho Warehouse, our first time partnering with the Soho House. 

Throughout 2023, TOM House hosted Artists-in-Residence from nine different countries (Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Mexico, Northern Ireland, Spain, Thailand, and the United States), while expanding our cohort to include more people of color and more artists from across the gender spectrum.

Next year is a big milestone for us: 2024 marks the 40th Anniversary since Tom and I began his Foundation. We have a full roster of Artists-in-Residence planned for the year. 2024 will also see the joint show of Tom of Finland works alongside those by Beryl Cook at Studio Voltaire in London. Next year will also include the 12th edition of our biennial Tom of Finland Emerging Artist Competition; a juried art contest, the EAC garners applicants from the world over.

In planning for the future of TOM’s Foundation, you are an essential component. Foremost, it is my hope that we share a common philosophy: The presence of Tom of Finland Foundation supports a younger generation of Queer artists, nurturing them and sharing platforms for their work to be presented, while enriching those that seek our programming, contributing to a more inclusive and diverse global culture.

I am asking you to commit, as we have, to our cause by contributing the resources necessary to make our visions a reality. Gifts can be made in the form of one-time donations, memberships, participating in our endowment fund, and supporting our artist funds. A living trust and gifts upon death can be of real property, bonds and securities, and cash. Please make TOM’s Foundation part of your legacy planning and always think of us as the sheltered home for your own art and materials collections.

Make our Foundation a priority in contributing to your own legacy.

Sincerely,

Durk Dehner
President & Cofounder

YES, I SUPPORT TOM’S FOUNDATION ⬇️

Published: 6th December 2023

Categorised in: News