Eisner Foundation Invests $4 Million to Pilot Aspen Institute Fellowship Mobilizing Cross-Industry Arts Leaders
Nominations open now through December 12 for new Aspen Institute Fellowship modeled after the Henry Crown Fellowship; leaders from across arts disciplines are encouraged to express interest.
Washington, DC, November 4, 2025—The Aspen Institute and the Eisner Foundation today announced the launch of the Michael D. Eisner Arts and Culture Fellowship, a distinctive program for leaders across creative disciplines. The fellowship launches with a $4 million investment from the Eisner Foundation as part of the Aspen Institute’s 75th anniversary campaign.
The four-year pilot will assemble two classes of 20-22 arts leaders spanning creative industries—from artists and performers to museum directors, studio executives, cultural financiers and beyond. Over two years, the fellows will gather four times for week-long seminars, engaging in moderated dialogue that challenges participants to clarify their role as leaders in the world.
The fellowship addresses a critical gap in arts leadership. While opportunities to cultivate technical mastery are abundant, leaders rarely have the space to grapple with fundamental questions: How do the arts advance a better world? What is my responsibility in that work? Building on the Aspen Institute’s proven fellowship model, the program creates a community where arts leaders examine their roles and responsibilities, connect across industry silos, and galvanize their leadership to harness the full power of the arts in tackling humanity’s greatest challenges.
“The arts don’t just reflect society—they shape it, challenge it, and help us envision better versions of it. By bringing together those who make art, create conditions for art to be made, and bring art to the world, we’re cultivating the kind of humanistic, values-driven leadership that can help us navigate our most complex challenges with both moral clarity and creative imagination,” said Dar Vanderbeck, Vice President, Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute.
“Throughout my career, I’ve seen firsthand how the arts shape the way we understand ourselves and the world. The most impactful work happens when creative leaders have the space and community to think deeply about what they’re building and why. This Fellowship brings together leaders across generations to challenge each other, clarify their purpose, and amplify their impact. Supporting these leaders isn’t just good for the arts, it’s essential for building a stronger society,” said Michael D. Eisner, CEO, The Tornante Company and Aspen Institute Trustee.
“Since its founding, the Aspen Institute has focused on art as a catalyst for community, dialogue, and values-based leadership. When we provide artist leaders with the opportunity for deep reflection and meaningful connection across disciplines, we amplify their capacity to inspire, provoke important conversations, and shape the cultural narratives that will define our society for generations to come,” said Danielle Baussan, Director, Arts Program at the Aspen Institute.
Powered by Partnership: Launching as a collaboration between the Aspen Global Leadership Network and the Aspen Institute Arts Program, with founding support from the Eisner Foundation, this initiative will offer arts leaders the opportunity to join a community of more than 4,000 Fellows who have participated in one of the AGLN’s 16+ cohort-based programs focused on igniting the high-integrity leadership needed to drive positive change around the world.
The arts have been integral to the Aspen Institute’s mission and work since its founding 75 years ago. Now in its 19th year, the Harman/Eisner Artist in Residence program brings iconic artists from a variety of disciplines into inspirational and educational discussions across the breadth of the Aspen Institute. Recent Artists in Residence include Teddy Abrams, Hank Willis Thomas, Simon Godwin, and Marin Alsop. Additionally, the Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies preserves the art and legacy of Herbert Bayer, an iconic artist and designer who studied and taught at the Bauhaus and designed the historic Aspen Meadows campus.
Structure: Following the model established by the Aspen Institute’s Henry Crown Fellowship in 1997, seminars will be led by esteemed Aspen Institute moderators with dialogue rooted in the Institute’s more than 75 year tradition as well as impact programming to inspire and support Fellows to act. It will take place at the Aspen Meadows Campus in Aspen, Colorado and other locations.
Nominations: Nominations are open now and close on December 12, 2025. The program seeks artist leaders from around the world and across generations who have achieved considerable success and demonstrate boldness, vision, and commitment to apply their leadership to our greatest challenges. We welcome nominations from leaders who make art, leaders who create the conditions for art to be made, and leaders who bring art to the world.
To be considered, candidates must express their interest or be nominated by a third party. Final selection is made by the Aspen Institute. The selection process will identify 20-22 exceptional leaders representing a compelling mosaic of perspectives from across the arts worldwide. Upon completion of the program, Fellows become lifelong members of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Learn more at aspeninstitute.org/programs/eisner-arts-culture-fellowship.
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About the Eisner Foundation
The Eisner Foundation identifies, advocates for, and invests in high-quality and innovative programs that unite multiple generations for the enrichment of our communities. The Eisner Foundation was started in 1996 by Michael D. Eisner, then-Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, and his wife Jane to focus their family’s philanthropic activities. The Eisner Foundation gives an estimated $10-12 million per year to nonprofitorganizations based in Los Angeles County and New York City. In 2015, The Eisner Foundation became the only U.S. funder investing exclusively in intergenerational solutions. To learn more about The Eisner Foundation, please visit eisnerfoundation.org.
About the Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit aspeninstitute.org.
Contact:
Samantha Cherry
Associate Director, Communications and Community Engagement
Aspen Institute
[email protected]