The ArtDesk 100: 2024 Discovery List
Our favorite creators, thinkers, and voices—who give the best of themselves—comprise the 2024 ArtDesk 100. Our honorees evangelize for a better world in a way that transcends their own success.
By Alexandra Bozeman and Ryan Steadman for ArtDesk
Agnes Gund, PHILANTHROPIST | Justice Reform: Gund established the Art for Justice Fund, a grant-making organization that uses art sales and art exhibitions as a way to support the end of mass incarceration.
Ai Weiwei, ARTIST | Human Rights: Ai uses his art to draw attention to the plight of the displaced who’ve fled conflicts and are seeking asylum.
Alan and Christina MacDonald, PHILANTHROPISTS | Arts Advocacy: Since 2016, the MacDonalds’ Further On Artist-in-Residence (FOAIR) program, has brought numerous artists from around the world to the Hamptons.
Alice Walton, PHILANTHROPIST | Arts Education: Walton’s contributions to the arts have played a substantial role in fostering a deeper understanding and engagement with American art and culture.
Alex Katz, ARTIST | Arts Advocacy: rough the Alex Katz Foundation, more than 700 pieces from mid-career or upand- coming artists have been purchased and donated—plus millions of dollars—to various art museums.
Ahmir Thompson, MUSICIAN | Arts Advocacy: Widely known as Questlove of the acclaimed band e Roots, ompson supports emerging artists, preserves music history, and advances social causes.
Andy and Christine Hall, PHILANTHROPIST | Arts Education: The Hall Art Foundation opens shows at their museums in Vermont and Germany. The foundation funds the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, a magnet high school.
Andrew Gori and Ambre Kelly, PHILANTHROPISTS | Arts Advocacy: Founders of the SPRING/BREAK Art Show, Gori and Kelly have allowed young, talented artists and galleries to show their work in an art fair setting since 2012.
Angelina Jolie, ACTOR | Human Rights: As a former UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, Jolie visited many refugee camps, using her platform to raise awareness for those affected by humanitarian crises. She also promotes inclusivity and diversity in the fashion industry.
Barbara Kruger, ARTIST | Human Rights: Through her art, collaborative projects, and as a teacher, Kruger has brought to light issues surrounding social justice, identity, race, gender, housing rights, and more.
Ben Cameron, PHILANTHROPIST | Arts Education: Retired president of the Jerome Foundation, Cameron is a passionate advocate for performance and organizational stability. He oversaw a grant program aimed at various arts organizations and artist-in-residency programs.
Bernard Lumpkin, EDUCATOR | Arts Education: As an art patron and educator, Lumpkin promotes artists of African descent via his Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family Collection, which became the subject of a 2019 book and exhibition Young, Gifted and Black: A New Generation of Artists.
Beth Rudin DeWoody, PHILANTHROPIST | Inclusivity in Art DeWoody’s philanthropic efforts are aimed at fostering creativity and diversity within the art world and advocating for new and diverse artistic voices.
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Sean Carter (Jay-Z), MUSICIANS | Justice Reform: The Carters are prominent advocates for criminal justice reform, raising awareness and supporting initiatives aimed at addressing issues within the justice system.
Bill Anoatubby, GOVERNOR | Arts Advocacy: As governor of the Chickasaw Nation, Anoatubby’s support for the arts encompasses a wide range of programs, initiatives, and financial support aimed at promoting and preserving Oklahoma’s cultural heritage.
Bono, MUSICIAN | Global Health: Paul David Hewson (otherwise known as Bono, the lead singer of U2) has been an activist for social justice for decades, particularly on the issues of extreme poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Candice Hopkins, CURATOR | Arts Advocacy: As a curator of Carcross/Tagish First Nation heritage, Hopkins is a major proponent of Indigenous art in her curated shows and as executive director of the Forge Project, a collection of contemporary Indigenous art.
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (Chuck D), MUSICIAN | Justice Reform: Chuck D has been actively involved with various initiatives and platforms that support social justice causes.
Cheech Marin, ACTOR | Arts Advocacy: Marin’s commitment to Chicano art culminated in him establishing the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture.
Chris Bogia and Evan Garza, ARTIST AND CURATOR | Inclusivity in Art: Bogia and Garza’s nonprofit, the Fire Island Artist Residency (FIAR), brings lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, intersex, and queer-identifying emerging visual artists to Fire Island.
Chrissie Hynde, MUSICIAN | Animal Wellbeing: Lead singer of the Pretenders, Hynde’s passionate and vocal efforts involve raising awareness about the mistreatment of animals in various industries and advocating for their kind treatment.
Dan and Kathryn Mikesell, PHILANTHROPISTS | Arts Advocacy: Since 2008, the Mikesells have hosted more than 500 artists from nearly fifty countries at their Fountainhead Residency in Miami.
Danni Gee, DANCER | Arts Education: Gee is the programming director for The Joyce eater, programming performances for world-renowned artist and dance companies.
Darren Walker, PHILANTHROPIST | Inclusivity in Art Walker is a leading figure in the social change movement, serving on boards and aiding charities in cultural philanthropy, city recovery, affordable housing, and civic engagement.
David Holt, MAYOR | Public Art: Holt has dedicated his mayoral tenure to transforming Oklahoma City, recently named the number one city in the US for public art, into a world-class cultural hub.
David Salle, ARTIST | Arts Advocacy Salle has championed and discovered artists of all ages through his curating practice. The art star has also passed down his wisdom to countless artists via his 2016 book, How to See: Looking, Talking, and Thinking About Art.
David Leventhal, DANCER | Art Therapy: Leventhal is a founding teacher and program director of Dance for PD, a Mark Morris Dance Group program offering dance classes designed for individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
Debi Wisch, FILMMAKER | Higher Education: Wisch produced the documentaries: Te Price of Everything (2018) and The Art of Making It (2021). The Wisch Family Foundation gives to numerous causes relating to higher education, human services, and the arts.
Deborah Willis, ARTIST | Historic Preservation: As an advocate for African-American history and culture, Willis was a leading advocate for a new National Museum of African-American History and Culture.
Diana Taylor, PHILANTHROPIST | Public Health: Taylor is a dedicated public servant who advocates for various social and health causes, such as women’s health and wellness.
Dolly Parton, MUSICIAN | Literacy: As a conquering hero of country music—she holds a Guinness World Record for having the most singles on the country charts—Dolly Parton is also unmatched at giving back. In 1998, she launched her Dollywood Foundation in Sevier County, Tennessee, to promote literacy and, in the process, lowered the county’s dropout rate from 35 percent to just 6 percent! en, less than a decade later, she introduced her Imagination Library, which now distributes more than two million books a month to children worldwide. Dolly’s generosity hasn’t been limited to education: Parton has also donated crucial funding to wildlife conservation, wildfire relief, and Covid-19 vaccine development over the years.
Eduardo Vilaro, CHOREOGRAPHER | Arts Education: Vilaro is the artistic director and CEO of Ballet Hispánico, where he works to elevate and diversify the American dance landscape.
Eleanor Kirkpatrick, PHILANTHROPIST | Arts Education: The late Kirkpatrick was pivotal in the development of arts and culture in Oklahoma City. Kirkpatrick Foundation, which she co-founded, continues to benefit all areas of life in her home state. (The foundation publishes this magazine.)
Elton John, MUSICIAN | Global Health: The Elton John AIDS Foundation offers education, support, treatment programs, and more to people living with or at risk of HIV.
Emily Simoness, EDUCATOR | Arts Education: Simoness is the founder of SPACE on Ryder Farm, an esteemed cross-disciplinary artist residency in Upstate New York, supporting more than 1,500 artists.
Faith Ringgold, ARTIST | Inclusivity in Art: Ringgold has had a significant impact on contemporary art, highlighting issues of racial inequality.
Gary Steuer, PHILANTHROPIST | Arts Education: Steuer advocates for the advancement of innovation, community, quality of life, and the arts in Denver, Colorado.
Gina Gibney, CHOREOGRAPHER | Arts Education: Through her dance company Gibney Dance, Gibney has established programs that promote artistic development, provide resources, and advocate for social change through the arts.
George Kaiser, PHILANTHROPIST | Arts Advocacy: ne of the 500 wealthiest people in the world, Oklahoma native George Kaiser has relentlessly given back to his community, exemplified by his signing of the Bill Gates Giving Pledge, a commitment that he would give half his wealth to charity. Since then, Kaiser has widely distributed funding across his home state, expanding areas such as economic growth, early childhood education, and—of course—the arts. In his hometown of Tulsa, Kaiser’s funding was instrumental in opening the Woody Guthrie Center in 2013 and acquiring Bob Dylan’s 6,000-piece archive in 2016, which led to the creation of the Bob Dylan Center in 2022. In 2015, his George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF) established the Tulsa Artist Fellowship, which assists contemporary artists and arts workers living in and joining Tulsa’s growing and thriving arts community.
Gregory Muir, CURATOR | Inclusivity in Art: As the Tate’s Director of Collection, International Art, Muir is considered one of London’s “most influential art personalities” and has been a tireless proponent of inclusivity in art.
Gus Solomons Jr., DANCER | Arts Education: The late Solomons is known for his influential role in dance education, sharing his expertise and knowledge with aspiring dancers and choreographers.
Hank Willis Thomas, ARTIST | Justice Reform: Thomas co-founded For Freedoms, an influential artist collective that uses art to begin conversations on pressing social and political issues.
Helen Molesworth, CURATOR | Inclusivity in Art: Molesworth, a curator and writer, has focused on women, people of color, and queer artists throughout her illustrious career. Her new book, Open Questions: Thirty Years of Writing about Art, inspires a new generation of young art writers.
Herb Alpert, MUSICIAN | Arts Education: The Herb Alpert Foundation supports various causes in the fields of arts education and promoting compassion through the arts.
Isabel Allende, WRITER | Human Rights: Chilean author, journalist, and playwright Isabel Angélica Allende Llona has been labeled “the world’s most widely read Spanish-language author” with best-selling novels like The House of the Spirits and City of the Beasts, to name a few. Sadly, after Augusto Pinochet’s militant rise to power in Chile in 1973, Allende worked to arrange safe passage for many vocal opponents of the regime. She fled to Venezuela, where she worked for the newspaper El Nacional while she wrote, eventually moving to America. In 1996, she founded the Isabel Allende Foundation in honor of her daughter, Paula Frías, who passed away from complications of the disease porphyria, as a way to invest in the power of women and girls by helping to secure their reproductive rights, economic independence, and freedom from violence. For her tireless advocacy, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2014.
Jacques D’Amboise, DANCER | Arts Education: D’Amboise founded the National Dance Institute (NDI), a nonprofit organization that provides dance education and opportunities to children from all backgrounds.
Jasmine Wahi, CURATOR | Inclusivity in Art: South Asian American curator Wahi is founder of Project for Empty Space, a supportive nonprofit community of more than forty artist studios.
Jenny Holzer, ARTIST | Human Rights: Holzer’s art challenges viewers to reconsider conventional ideas about public space, society, and the human experience.
Jerry Saltz, WRITER | Arts Journalism: Using his platform and influence to advocate for artists, Saltz promotes the fair treatment and recognition of artists at all stages of their careers.
Jody Gottfried Arnhold, DANCER | Dance Education: Arnhold established the Arnhold Institute for Dance Education Research to support dance in education, with a focus on providing resources.
John Moore, WRITER | Arts Advocacy: Moore created and manages the Denver Actors Fund, which provides support and financial assistance to actors and other members of the performing arts community.
John Rohrbach, CURATOR | Historic Preservation: Rohrbach has contributed significantly to the understanding and preservation of nineteenth and twentieth-century American photography.
John Waters, FILMMAKER | Arts Accessibility: Waters’ films and artwork has left an indelible mark on art and culture. Recently, he donated his art collection to his hometown museum, the Baltimore Museum of Art.
Jorge Pérez, PHILANTHROPIST | Arts Accessibility: Pérez’s donation of $40 million to the Pérez Art Museum Miami enabled it to expand its programs, acquisitions, and community outreach efforts.
José Andrés, CHEF | Disaster Relief: Employing food as a means of relief, activism, and support through his World Central Kitchen, Andrés has been instrumental in feeding communities affected by disasters.
Judith A. Rubin, WRITER | Art Therapy: Rubin’s work has been instrumental in promoting the use of art as a means of expression and healing in therapeutic settings.
Justine Ludwig, CURATOR | Public Art: At Creative Time, Ludwig organizes and commissions artists to create innovative public installations, performances, and exhibitions.
Kalup Linzy, ARTIST | Arts Advocacy: In 2021 Linzy founded the Queen Rose Art House, an artist residency located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that supports and nurtures emerging talents.
Katy Hessel, HISTORIAN | Historic Preservation: As an art historian, writer, and curator, Hessel has been a staunch supporter of women in art through her podcast, The Great Women Artists, and her acclaimed book, The Story of Art without Men.
Kehinde Wiley, ARTIST | Inclusivity in Art: Although he’s most famous for painting Barack Obama’s presidential portrait in 2018, the Nigerian-American artist Kehinde Wiley has been crafting his internationally renowned paintings and sculptures for decades. Wiley addresses the imbalance of power Black people face by centering them within his meticulously painted portraits, which reference styles and motifs from the museum-certified tradition of European history paintings. Wiley has also been a passionate advocate for supporting people in front of the canvas. In 2019, he founded the non-profit multidisciplinary artist-in-residence program Black Rock Senegal, a West African residency program that supports young African-American artists and has helped put Dakar, Senegal, on the map as a must-visit contemporary art destination.
Kelly Crow, JOURNALIST | Arts Journalism: Crow is an art market reporter for The Wall Street Journal, where she provides crucial and extensive coverage on auctions, art investment, and the broader art industry.
Kim and Jon Shirley, PHILANTHROPIST Arts Accessibility: In early 2023, the Shirleys donated their $200-million collection of Alexander Calder sculptures and publications—along with an additional $10 million—to the Seattle Art Museum.
Komal Shah, PHILANTHROPIST | Arts Advocacy: Through her Shah Garg Collection, Indian-born philanthropist Shah has promoted women artists, leading to a book and exhibition, Making Their Mark: Art by Women in the Shah Garg Collection.
Leonardo DiCaprio, ACTOR | Environmental Conservation: As the star of hit Hollywood films like Titanic, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, and Killers of the Flower Moon, actor and producer Leonardo DiCaprio has accrued many millions of dollars over the years yet has consistently given back to a variety of causes. He has donated relief to too many humanitarian and ecological disasters to list here and even started his non-profit organization, The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, to promote global environmental awareness. He has also advocated for and donated funds to causes like literacy, poverty, and more. Yet, somehow, he has also found the time to amass a world-class art collection while leveraging his celebrity to help artists, art institutions, and social causes. Whether donating time and funds to his local LA County Museum (LACMA) or throwing a massive charity auction in St. Tropez, The Wolf of Wall Street star has consistently expressed his love and admiration for fine art.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, ART I ST | Disaster Relief: Miranda has taken on fundraising efforts and initiatives that provide aid and resources to Puerto Rico’s recovery and growth.
Linda Shelton, DANCER | Arts Advocacy: Since 1993, Linda Shelton has been the executive director and trustee of e Joyce eater Foundation. Shelton also currently sits on the board of Dance/USA and is a Tony Awards nominator.
Mark Bradford, ARTIST | Arts Advocacy: Bradford founded his nonprofit art campus, Art + Practice, in the Leimert Park neighborhood of South LA to support the local needs of transition-age foster youth and children experiencing displacement.
Mary Margaret Holt, DANCER | Dance Education: Holt was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame for her dedication to the fields of fine art and education.
Michael Kaiser, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | Arts Advocacy: Kaiser helmed the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and now, leads the DeVos Institute. He is known for his strategic leadership, specifically in rescuing struggling arts institutions.
Mickalene Thomas, ARTIST | Human Rights: Known for her groundbreaking vision of Black queer identity, Thomas is an advocate for equal rights. Each year, she mentors the recipient of a scholarship in her name at Yale University.
Mikhail Baryshnikov, DANCER | Dance Education: The Baryshnikov Arts Center, founded in 2005, hosts performances, residencies, and workshops while contributing to the development of artistic practices.
Nan Goldin, ARTIST | Addiction and Recovery: Goldin founded the group P.A.I.N. (Prescription Addiction Intervention Now) in 2017 to push for changes in policies related to opioid medications.
Nancy Nasher, PHILANTHROPIST | Arts Accessibility: Nasher has continued her family’s commitment to cultural enrichment and art accessibility through her philanthropic initiatives supporting the arts and community development.
Nick Cave, MUSICIAN | Social Justice: Cave is primarily known as the Australian baritone fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. He also helps scores of people navigate their music—and lives—with his advice column, e Red Hand Files.
Pamela Joyner, PHILANTHROPIST | Inclusivity in Art: Considered an “activist collector,” Joyner has focused on collecting and promoting the work of African-American artists, particularly those from the Post-War period.
Patrick Stewart, ACTOR | Animal Wellbeing: Stewart has actively promoted the adoption and rescue of pit bulls through the organization Wags and Walks aiming to combat negative stereotypes about the breed.
Ravi Rajan, EDUCATOR | Higher Education: While working at the California Institute of the Arts, Rajan has helped under-represented artists receive financial help, paid internships, and employment after graduation.
Rick Lowe, ARTIST | Arts Advocacy: Lowe is known for Project Row Houses in Houston, Texas, which revitalized a neighborhood by turning neglected row houses into vibrant spaces for art, education, and community engagement.
RJ Mitte, ACTOR | Inclusivity in Art: Mitte is a member of the union’s Performers with Disabilities Committee. He’s also an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Hospitals for Children and has voiced his support for initiatives that restore and strengthen border communities.
Robert Storr, CURATOR | Arts Advocacy: A lifelong advocate for artists, Storr has worked as a teacher, critic, curator, and even the Dean of Yale’s MFA program. In 2023, he donated his archive to the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College.
Roberta Smith, WRITER | Arts Journalism: Smith’s New York Times reviews and essays have helped shape public understanding of visual art, making her a respected figure in art criticism.
Sally Hybl, PHILANTHROPIST | Arts Advocacy: Hybl has been instrumental in advocating for philanthropic endeavors that benefit cultural enrichment and education in the Pikes Peak region.
Sarah Arison, PRODUCER | Arts Advocacy: President of the Arison Arts Foundation, Arison supports emerging artists and art institutions. She also produces film projects on niche areas of the arts.
Stephen Kroll Reidy, PHILANTHROPIST | Arts Advocacy: As a longtime board member of the New York City Ballet and other dance companies, Reidy has supported productions that bring innovative voices to dance for more than thirty years.
Steve Martin, ACTOR | Arts Advocacy: You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone in Hollywood who has advocated for art and artists more than Steve Martin. Most people know the Only Murders In the Building star is an ardent art collector, but few know about the other ways he’s supported his passions over the years. In 2005, the funnyman generously donated $1 million to the American art collection at the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California. Then, after falling in love with Aboriginal art, Martin co-launched a fund to support Australian Indigenous artists called the National Endowment for Indigenous Visual Arts (NEIVA). The program helps build a sustainable, worldwide market for Indigenous artists while offering them a dedicated network for youth education and career mentoring. Not to be forgotten is Martin’s lifelong love of the banjo, which led him to conceive the aptly named Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass Music. Funded by the Steve Martin Charitable Foundation, the $50,000 award recognizes outstanding accomplishments with the five-string banjo or in bluegrass music. Aside from the cash prize, each winner receives a bronze sculpture of a hand holding a tiny banjo, created by one of Martin’s favorite artists, Eric Fischl.
Susan Jaffe, DANCER | Dance Education: Through her experience in the dance world, Jaffe has become a mentor for aspiring dancers and has contributed significantly to dance education.
Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys, MUSICIANS | Arts Advocacy: Aside from this power couple’s St(Art)ups grant initiative, providing $5,000 to artist exhibitions worldwide, Beatz and Keys also launched No Commission, an art fair where artists keep 100 percent of their money from sales.
Thelma Golden, ARTIST | Inclusivity in Art: Through her leadership and innovative curation, Golden has contributed more than anyone to the recognition of Black artists in contemporary art.
Tina Perry and Ric Whitney, PHILANTHROPISTS | Inclusivity in Art: Perry and Whitney are active on the boards of various arts and educational institutions, and are advocates for social justice causes.
Tracey Emin, ARTIST | Arts Advocacy: As a cancer survivor, Emin has supported initiatives fighting the disease. In 2023 she founded the free, eighteen-month learning residency in Margate, United Kingdom.
Yemi Mobolade, MAYOR | Arts Advocacy: Before becoming the first black mayor of Colorado Springs, Mobolade founded nonprofits The Wild Goose Meeting House and COSILoveYou.
Yoko Ono, ARTIST | Human Rights: Since the 1960s, artist and musician Yoko Ono has famously worked as a peace and human rights activist, with her and late husband John Lennon’s 1969 protest “Bed-In for Peace” gaining worldwide notoriety. Today, she still fights for numerous causes, from gay rights to feminism, and gives annually to more than thirty global charities. As one might expect, she also donates crucial funding to artists and musicians, helping them further their craft and gain notoriety. In 2002, she created the LennonOno Grant for Peace, an award of $50,000 in prize money given to artists in conflict regions. Artists Zvi Goldstein, an Israeli, and Khalil Rabah, a Palestinian, received the inaugural awards. More recently, she co-founded e Coda Collection, a streaming service featuring hard-to-find music documentaries and concert films.
The 2024 ArtDesk 100 Committee: Alana Ruiz de la Peña, Christian Keesee, Jeremiah Matthew Davis, Larry Keigwin, Louisa McCune, and Scott RC Levy.
