New Perspectives, Deeper Roots: Reimagining the Collection with Support from the Terra Foundation

We are proud to announce that the Terra Foundation for American Art has awarded the Museum of Northwest Art (MoNA) a transformative $75,000 grant—an investment that marks both a milestone for the institution and a powerful affirmation of its evolving vision. This generous support will enable MoNA to develop a forward-looking roadmap that broadens interpretive frameworks for understanding regional identity, relationships to the land, and the development of local economies as expressed through the art of the Pacific Northwest. At a moment when museums across the country are reexamining their roles and responsibilities, this grant positions MoNA at the forefront of meaningful and lasting change.

Since its founding, MoNA’s Permanent Collection has been shaped by the artistic movements and cultural priorities of its time, with a foundational focus on the “Northwest School” of the mid-20th century. Artists such as Mark Tobey, Kenneth Callahan, Morris Graves, and Guy Anderson helped define a distinctly regional aesthetic, one deeply rooted in spirituality, abstraction, and the natural environment. Their work—and that of subsequent generations influenced by their legacy—remains, and will always constitute an essential pillar of MoNA’s identity and programming, continuing to inspire audiences and artists alike.

As the Museum has grown over the decades, the collection has reflected the distinct moments and evolving narratives of the art world in our region. But with time comes perspective, and it is often useful to take a moment to reflect on the past with an eye towards what stories are yet to be told, and what histories remain to be captured. With this grant, MoNA embraces an opportunity not only to reflect on those patterns, but to actively reshape them. This moment is one of both celebration and responsibility: a chance to honor the collection’s strengths while committing to a more inclusive and expansive future.

The Pacific Northwest is home to a rich and complex cultural landscape. Indigenous Coast Salish communities—including the Upper Skagit, Swinomish, Samish, Sauk-Suiattle, and Tulalip peoples—have lived on and stewarded this land since time immemorial, carrying forward deep artistic, cultural, and ecological knowledge. 

In addition, Latinx communities, who now make up a significant portion of the region’s population, have longstanding ties to the area often rooted in agricultural labor and multigenerational community building. These histories and perspectives are vital to understanding the region, yet they have not always been fully represented in institutional collections.

Through this initiative, MoNA aims to more fully reflect the diversity and vitality of the communities it serves by expanding representation of Indigenous and Latinx artists within its Permanent Collection and exhibitions. The Terra Foundation grant will make it possible to bring new voices and expertise into this process. To achieve this ambitious goal, MoNA will use the funds allocated through this grant to provide resources to hire two guest curators and an Advisory Committee to research the Museum Permanent Collection, with an eye towards identifying gaps and omissions in Indigenous and Latinx representation. The guest curators will conduct in-depth research into the collection—identifying gaps, reassessing existing works, and exploring new interpretive possibilities. Their scholarship will illuminate the epistemological value of works by Indigenous and Latinx artists, offering deeper insight into themes of identity, culture, and relationships to the land. This research will culminate in a published catalog, ensuring that these contributions have a lasting impact both within and beyond the museum.

MoNA’s curatorial team is already hard at work convening a dedicated working group to undertake a comprehensive review of the Permanent Collection. This group will examine what is present in the collection, how those works have shaped prevailing narratives, and what remains absent. By asking not only “what is here?” but also “what is missing and why?”, the museum seeks to uncover the structural and historical forces that have shaped its holdings. This process is as much about discovery as it is about accountability, opening the door to new ways of thinking about collecting, interpretation, and public engagement.

Central to this effort is an exploration of how artistic identities—both individual and collective—are formed in relation to the land. In the Pacific Northwest, the environment is not merely a backdrop but an active force shaping creative expression. By examining art through multiple lenses, including ecological systems, social and economic structures, and cultural values, MoNA aims to foster a deeper understanding of the interconnected forces that define the region.

This grant represents an extraordinary endorsement of MoNA’s leadership and vision. It places the museum in the company of distinguished institutions that have received support from the Terra Foundation, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, and more locally our neighbors the Seattle Art Museum, Frye Art Museum, and Portland Art Museum. Such recognition underscores MoNA’s unique role within both the regional and national cultural landscape.

The museum embarks on this ambitious and necessary work with a sense of excitement, purpose, and gratitude. The Terra Foundation’s support not only makes this initiative possible—it affirms the importance of continually reimagining what a museum can be. Through this project, MoNA is not simply expanding its collection; it is deepening its commitment to telling the full, dynamic story of the Pacific Northwest and the many communities who shape it.