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DateSummer 2024
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The arts and humanities are part of everyday life: in families, in education, in technology, and in the workplace.

According to recent studies:

  • Around 90% of Americans believe the humanities help people understand others whose lives are different from their own.
  • 86% of Americans agree that the humanities strengthen American democracy, and 73% agree that they make the economy stronger.
  • 7 in 10 Americans believe the arts unify their communities.

Through its grants and support for the arts and humanities, the Mellon Foundation recognizes their power to interpret and share the human experience. The work we support activates the spirit of learning and elevates creativity to inspire our communities.

Explore stories and ideas that will ignite your imagination. 

A vertical image of an Indigenous person who is sitting on a chair in front of a backdrop.
How can institutional change drive social progress?
Evolving Higher Education
Explore the Idea 
A multicolored painted totem pole set in front of a foggy forest landscape
What will tomorrow’s commemorations tell us about America?
Monuments and Memory
Explore the Idea 

Since 1969, Mellon has awarded more than 19,000 grants.

See related grants