The estate of Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell and photographer Renate Ponsold Motherwell, who passed away in 2023, has generously donated $200,000 to the Fine Arts Work Center (FAWC) in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Motherwell co-founded FAWC over 50 years ago, and this significant contribution aims to support the center’s core programs and its celebrated residency initiative.
FAWC, a hub for artistic development and education, offers two primary programs: its fellowship program and Summer Workshops. The fellowship program hosts 10 visual artists and 10 writers at FAWC’s campus for seven months, providing them with live-work spaces, stipends, and the freedom to immerse themselves in their creative practices. “The mission of this place is to grant fellowships to emerging artists and writers with no expectations, just a gift of time and space to develop their craft,” explained Sharon Polli, FAWC’s executive director.
Each year, FAWC receives over 1,400 applications for its 20 fellowship spots and has hosted over 1,000 fellows since its inception. Notable alumni include Lisa Yuskavage, Tala Madani, and Jennifer Packer. Fellows reside in the historic Days Lumberyard, which has been a creative haven since FAWC acquired it in 1972.
The Summer Workshops, held between June and August, attract thousands of participants to Provincetown. These weeklong sessions cover a variety of disciplines, from printmaking to prose poetry, and cater to both emerging and established artists.
In addition to enhancing these programs, the Motherwell gift will also support the Scholars Awards. This initiative allows over 100 young people from low-income or historically marginalized backgrounds to attend the Summer Workshops at no cost, including stipends for housing and travel.
Robert Motherwell, who began visiting Provincetown in the early 1940s, co-founded FAWC with a group of artists and writers, including former US poet laureate Stanley Kunitz and collector Hudson D. Walker. Their vision was to preserve Provincetown as a creative sanctuary. “Even at that time, it was becoming too expensive for artists and writers to live and work here, so they formed the Fine Arts Work Center,” Polli noted. “The Motherwell family is incredibly important to this small artist community here at the tip of Cape Cod.”
While $200,000 may seem modest, for an organization with an annual budget of $2.5 million, it represents a significant portion of FAWC’s yearly expenditures, including $200,000 in fellowship stipends and $100,000 for the Scholars Awards program. The cost of hosting one fellow is estimated at around $50,000. This donation will help FAWC continue to invite talented emerging artists to its program.
Since its 50th anniversary in 2018, FAWC has established an endowment, now totaling around $3 million. The organization has also increased stipends for fellows and summer faculty by approximately 20 percent since the pandemic. “We’re investing directly into artists and writers,” Polli emphasized. “This $200,000 goes into artist stipends and fees, enabling artists and writers to live, work, and thrive here.”
FAWC will showcase the work of 19 past fellows at the Armory Show in September, highlighting the center’s impact on American arts and letters. “We nurture artists and writers in a creative community, allowing them to experiment and take risks,” Polli said. “This investment is essential for American culture, helping emerging artists discover their voice and develop their creative practice.”
The Motherwell estate’s generous gift will ensure that FAWC continues to provide invaluable support to the artistic community, honoring the legacy of Robert Motherwell and the history of Provincetown as a vital center for the arts.
