#artforbetter at Hauser & Wirth

PHILANTHROPY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS In addition to investing and collaborating with many international cultural organizations, museums, nonprofits, and universities, Hauser & Wirth aims to make a lasting contribution to the communities in which it operates by building long-term partnerships with a variety of local organizations.

EDUCATION AND EVENTS Centered around a core belief in education, Hauser & Wirth is committed to public engagement programs that instigate a dialogue about the works on view by offering a variety of family, youth, and adult programs inspired by the gallery’s visionary artists. 

Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles and Somerset – both cultural centers with dynamic events programming – host regular dance and music performances, film screenings, family activities, maker workshops, and artist-led conversations.

OUR PARTNERS: ARTHAUS Hauser & Wirth Somerset The youth group, self-named Arthaus, meets every month at the gallery, and is made up of a mix of 15 – 19-year-olds from various schools and colleges across Somerset.

Since its launch in 2014, Arthaus has both instigated and responded to an impressive range of projects, formed a strong alumni profile and many have been employed by the gallery.  AVENUES FOR JUSTICE Hauser & Wirth New York Avenues for Justice works with 600 low-income youth each year who have been arrested or are at-risk of arrest, providing them with services instead of a cell. 

AFJ's centers in Harlem and the Lower East Side provide court advocacy with online and on-site programs for education, job training, mentoring, healthy socialization and staff on call 24/7 to handle crises. As a result, less than 10% return to crime. Hauser & Wirth provides art educational and recreational programs, with peer group support of non-criminal behavior.

BATH SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN AND CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS Hauser & Wirth Somerset and Los Angeles  The annual Hauser & Wirth Exchange Residency for post-MFA students is a collaboration between Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles and Hauser & Wirth Somerset, working with the California Institute for the Arts (CalArts) and the Bath School of Art and Design, Bath Spa University. It was established to foster international links between institutions, the gallery and emerging artists. In addition to financially supporting the residency, Hauser & Wirth integrates participants into gallery programming.   

CAL STATE LA Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles In 2017, Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles began a partnership with Cal State LA’s Television, Film, and Media Department to co-develop an ongoing project titled Community Impact Media to encourage diversity in filmmaking. This innovative course provides hands-on experience in media production and offers storytelling mentorship to guide students through the creation of original short documentaries about the inspiring work of local nonprofit organizations. Alongside a financial contribution, the partnership encompasses opportunities for Cal State LA students to engage with the gallery and its program, which includes collaborative events hosted at the gallery and onsite filming opportunities.

CREATIVE YOUTH NETWORK Hauser & Wirth Somerset The Creative Youth Network works with young people that may be experiencing barriers to their progression. The centre in Bristol is a growing hub of support including all sorts of youth services from the Brook clinic, mental health services, social services, radio stations etc. We work to assist underrepresented artists with their professional development, offering an insight into Hauser & Wirth and opportunities to deliver workshops as part of our program. 

GARDEN SCHOOL FOUNDATION Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles The Garden School Foundation turns asphalt into ecosystems throughout the city by providing a wide scope of education through hands-on learning in outdoor classrooms to local schools. Once a month, educators from the Garden School Foundation lead plant-based activities in the garden of Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles.

LOWER EAST SIDE GIRLS CLUB Hauser & Wirth New York The Girls Club is elevating the voices of girl leadership, promoting the strength of sisterhood and providing young womxn with the tools and experiences they need to overcome barriers that may limit their potential. We support our members as they make sense of the chaotic world around them: developing their own analysis and questioning the root causes of the challenges our communities are facing. Hauser & Wirth hosts regular workshops and gallery tours for these middle and high school students in its New York galleries, providing access to critical thinking skills, artist talks, round table discussions and art resources.

PRINCE’S TRUST Hauser & Wirth Somerset We have partnered with the charity Prince’s Trust since our launch in 2014. Each year a group of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, following the Prince's Trust Achieve Programme, to come to the gallery and engage in activities to learn about the workplace and discover the career opportunities that may suit them.  

WIDE RAINBOW Hauser & Wirth New York Wide Rainbow is an after-school arts program that connects contemporary artists with youth in in low-income neighborhoods with limited or no access to the arts or arts education. Hauser & Wirth curates after-school programs for various youth groups who are interested in gaining insight into the arts and remain a primary contact to those seeking education in the field.

WOMEN’S PRISON ASSOCIATION  Hauser & Wirth New York The Women’s Prison Association empowers women to redefine their lives in the face of injustice and incarceration, forging pathways to freedom, safety, and independence. WPA’s alternative to incarceration program, JusticeHome, allows women to avoid prison or jail by addressing the challenges that led to their arrest in the community. Hauser & Wirth provides space for discussion as well as internal resources to engage with the art as means for expression and to attract awareness and donorship.

’Our new initiative #artforbetter is now a central part of our longstanding philanthropic framework at the gallery,’ Iwan Wirth explains, ‘and it will reach beyond this moment. We are developing major projects to launch in the mid- and long-term for the communities in which we play an active role.’ - For continued updates, and to learn how to get involved, please visit our Community page.