Culture

Cornelius Vander Starr’s support for the arts emerged from his curiosity and interest in the many places he lived, particularly China, Japan, and New York. For Mr. Starr, art was an expression of beauty and shared humanity. As a colleague put it in the book Cornelius Vander Starr: 1892–1968: “He always wanted something that was an affirmation of the joy of living.”

His interest in art extended from painting and sculpture to opera and architecture. Keenly aware of the power of buildings, Mr. Starr was intimately involved with the design and construction of his company’s headquarters in capitals throughout the world, and with the artwork hung in their public areas. I.M. Pei described his client as wanting “both utility and beauty,” desiring buildings that would reflect the enduring values of their urban communities. The Starr Foundation carries on Mr. Starr’s legacy of honoring cultural heritage with support that reaches from the performing arts to museums, including founding memorials and renovations of historic buildings that preserve the past and encourage understanding of the present—for those alive today and for future generations.

$310M+

Awarded

2,303

Grants

376

Organizations

Performing Arts

As celebrations of the human experience, the performing arts inspire creativity and build community. The Starr Foundation’s support in this area focuses primarily on New York City’s world-renowned cultural institutions, including the iconic resident art organizations Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Perelman Performing Arts Center (the new downtown cultural home for emerging and established performers and artists), and the Public Theater’s beloved Shakespeare in the Park program, which offers free, outstanding public performances in Central Park.

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Perelman Performing Arts Center

People watch Shakespeare in the Park in the evening.

Tammy Shell

Grantee Spotlight

Free Shakespeare in the Park

For more than 60 years, The Public Theater has performed outstanding productions of Shakespeare classics from the Delacorte Theater stage in Central Park. Over five million tickets have been distributed—for free—for more than 150 productions. Theatergoers have been treated to works such as Hamlet, The Tempest, and Othello, performed under the stars on summer nights in the heart of New York City. Since 1980, The Starr Foundation has contributed $1.9 million to support founder Joe Papp’s mission of making exceptional theatre accessible to all. When The Public was forced to close in-person productions during the COVID-19 pandemic, it created an engaging, serialized radio production of Richard II for public radio and provided access to archival performances. In 2024, while the Delacorte was closed for renovation, The Public dramatically expanded its Shakespeare program, using its Mobile Unit to take pop-up productions of The Comedy of Errors to locations across New York City, as well as filmed versions of its critically acclaimed productions to movie screens and television in partnership with PBS Great Performances. Through its exceptional Shakespeare in the Park programming, The Public creates unforgettable, inclusive cultural experiences that build community around the power of the performing arts.

Museums

Mr. Starr deeply respected other cultures and made a practice of studying local art wherever he traveled and worked. During his lifetime, he became a great collector, often buying art not for investment but based on what he liked, or to show support for artists and art dealers. He believed art should be seen and enjoyed, not hidden away in closed vaults; as one art dealer friend remembered in the book Cornelius Vander Starr: 1892–1968: “He never bought more paintings than he could hang.”

With grants totaling more than $147 million to nearly 100 different museums worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Tate Modern, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the National World War II Museum, the Starr Foundation carries on this legacy by supporting the curation of artifacts and works of art, as well as international exhibits that illuminate core human values and enhance cross-cultural understanding.

Grantee Spotlight

The 9/11 Memorial and Museum

In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, The Starr Foundation provided a $25 million lead grant that led to the establishment of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Located by the World Trade Center in New York City, the site tells the story of 9/11 through media, narratives, and a collection of artifacts, presenting visitors with personal stories of loss, recovery, and hope. It also provides a host of educational programs and materials to foster a deeper understanding of 9/11 and its ongoing legacy. The Foundation also contributed toward the Pennsylvania (Flight 93) and Pentagon Memorial.

Memorials

Reflecting pool at the World War I Memorial

As tangible connections to the past and symbols of shared values, memorials help us remember and learn from the pivotal events and stories of courage, sacrifice, and resilience that shaped our nation. Starr Foundation funding helped establish the National World War I Memorial and the National World War II Memorial. The Foundation also contributed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, establishing the Maurice R. and Corinne P. Chair of Holocaust Studies. Additional Starr memorial funding honors American leaders, including the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial at Four Freedoms Park.

Asian Art

Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

In recognition of C.V. Starr’s deep ties to China and Japan, The Starr Foundation has always prioritized cultural exchange with Asia, beginning with a 1956 grant to support Asian cultural institutions.

The Asia Society, which has been a Foundation grantee since 1961, is dedicated to helping Americans better understand Asian affairs and cultures. Foundation support has funded exhibitions highlighting the historic preservation of art from a number of Asian countries, including India, Japan, and China. The Foundation also enabled the creation of the Starr Gallery, which showcases renowned exhibitions of traditional and contemporary Asian arts year-round, including significant pieces from the Asia Society’s permanent collection. The gallery also offers educational programs and events to enhance understanding and appreciation of East Asian cultural heritage. Starr Foundation support for Asian art institutions includes the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, China Institute, Japan Society, and the Shanghai Museum.

Landmark Preservation

Inside Paris’s Notre-Dame Cathedral Over the years, The Starr Foundation has contributed to public-private partnerships to preserve culturally significant landmarks. Foundation support for the World Monuments Fund facilitated the training of Cambodian students at Angkor Wat and the restoration of the Forbidden City’s Qianlong Garden in Beijing. Additionally, from 2013 to 2018, the Foundation supported the restoration of New York City’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral. After the devastating 2019 fire that engulfed Paris’s Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Foundation pledged $10 million toward reconstruction and restoration to preserve Notre Dame’s enduring historical and architectural legacy.