A local expression of art philanthropy comes out of Bloomington, Indiana where the Mr. and Mrs. Eskinazi have donated $15M as well their own collection of art to their local museum.
"Many of these institutions have been bitten by the "Bilbao Effect" bug—the idea that an architecturally exciting project makes an institution more of a destination. But it isn't just mega-museums like the Museum of Modern Art that catch the fever. Universities and smaller organizations are susceptible to the effect, as well.
"Take recent news out of Bloomington, Indiana, where Indiana University (IU) Art Museum announced a landmark gift of $15 million from Indianapolis-based philanthropists Sidney and Lois Eskenazi. This is the largest cash gift in the museum's history and a lead gift toward renovation of its building, which opened in 1982.
"What's more, the Eskenazis are also donating their collection of nearly 100 works of art, composed primarily of prints by 20th-century European and American masters. The museum will be renamed the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art in recognition of the couple's generosity, effective immediately."--Mike Scutari, Inside Philanthropy
