Copyright The Hollywood Reporter
The Aspen Institute, a blue-chip thought leadership non-profit that plays host to several influential panel events annually like the Ideas Festival, is building in a new arts-centric fellowship with a multimillion dollar grant. This one is aimed across creative disciplines — and studio executives, agents and producers are welcome to apply. Backed with a $4 million donation from the foundation of Michael Eisner, the Aspen Institute said on Tuesday that it is launching an arts and culture fellowship named after the former Disney CEO in order to create a class of 20 or so arts leaders who will convene four times in Colorado and other locales for week-long seminars over the course of two years. The Aspen Institute envisions a class that spans “from artists and performers to museum directors, studio executives, cultural financiers and beyond.” The program is modeling itself after Aspen’s Henry Crown Fellowship Program, which has been running for more than two decades and convenes a class of C-suite leaders four times over two years “to tackle the world’s most intractable problems.” The latest round of fellows in that Crown program included execs with MSNBC, Peloton, Liquid Death, Bath & Body Works, Airtable and Amazon Pharmacy on their résumés. “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,” Eisner said in a statement unveiling the fellowship. The former Disney CEO added, “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.” Aspen Institute exec Dar Vanderbeck added, “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.”
