Claremont Museum of Art Receives $100,000 Grant from the B.C. Mccabe Foundation

Claremont, CA (January 22, 2007)— The Claremont Museum of Art today announced it has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the B.C. McCabe Foundation, which will be used to support the opening of the museum and to fund ongoing activities and programs.

“We’re very excited about receiving our first major foundation gift,” said William Moreno, executive director of the museum. “The grant from the McCabe Foundation is a significant milestone for the museum and underscores the importance of this effort for the region. It also says a lot about the strength and commitment of our board members and volunteers and adds considerable momentum to our fundraising campaign.”

Housed in the historic citrus Packing House in the west Village expansion in Claremont, the museum is scheduled to open this spring with a retrospective of the work of internationally renowned painter Karl Benjamin and an exhibition introducing art donated to the permanent collection.

“Foundations are typically more inclined to support organizations that are already up and running,” said John Maguire, who serves of counsel to the board of trustees. “Given that fact, it’s all the more wonderful that the museum has earned the confidence of the McCabe Foundation, which is so generously investing in the museum at this start-up phase.”

Marguerite McIntosh, who has spearheaded the drive to create a Claremont art museum for 20 years, also expressed her appreciation for the foundation grant. “We’re extremely grateful and thank the McCabe Foundation for the faith they’ve placed in the Claremont Museum of Art,” said McIntosh, chairperson of the board of trustees. “Their generosity helps make it possible for us to establish a museum that we hope will grow in importance, reputation and influence and become the cultural center of a lively and expanding artistic community.”

About the Claremont Museum of Art Opening Exhibitions

The Claremont Museum of Art is scheduled to open this spring with a retrospective of the work of internationally renowned painter Karl Benjamin and an exhibition introducing art donated to the permanent collection.

A Conversation with Color: Karl Benjamin, Paintings 1953-1995 will feature nearly 40 paintings that trace the artist’s remarkable career, from his early experiments with cubism to works that represent his role as one of the founders of “abstract classicism.”

Artwork donated to the permanent collection will be displayed in “Building a Legacy: Founding a Museum, Building a Collection.” The exhibition, which will highlight the origins of the museum, will present work by Millard Sheets, James Fuller, Jean Ames, Harrison McIntosh, Betty Davenport Ford, Phil Dike, Roland Reiss, Norm Hines, Milford Zornes, Jack Zajac and other notable local artists.

With 3,500 square feet of exhibition space, a store, offices and sculpture garden, the museum will occupy the west end of the historic citrus Packing House in the West Village expansion in Claremont. The renovated 1922 building will also house restaurants, shops, lofts and office space.

About the Museum

The Claremont Museum of Art is a community cornerstone for collecting, preserving, sharing and celebrating the legacy of Claremont artists and their most significant and enduring work. It is also a catalyst for providing the community with excellence in art education at all levels. The Museum’s outreach program will promote learning by developing and providing specialized classes and lectures, a resource library, activities and events, visits to the schools, tours, and a wide assortment of print and on-line materials. The Claremont Museum of Art is a nonprofit California corporation, fully tax exempt under IRS code 501(c)(3).