Cleveland Institute of Art announces historic $7 million gift from the Joan Yellen Horvitz Trust

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 24, 2024

CLEVELAND—The Cleveland Institute of Art has received a historic $7 million gift from the Joan Yellen Horvitz Trust. This transformative gift represents the largest one-time gift and largest scholarship gift in CIA's nearly 142-year history.

Funds from the gift will establish the Joan Yellen Horvitz Scholarship, a full scholarship covering tuition and fees that could be awarded to multiple students. First-year, sophomore, junior and senior students studying in any major will be eligible. Recipients will be known as Horvitz Scholars, with select students being recognized for exhibiting "exceptional promise" as aspiring artists or designers.

"The Joan Yellen Horvitz Scholarship will have a lasting and meaningful impact on CIA students, providing them with an incredible opportunity to pursue their creative passions without significant financial burden," says CIA President + CEO Kathryn J. Heidemann. "Joan's investment in the education of future artists and designers is exemplary, and we at CIA are incredibly grateful for her leadership, vision and generosity. We're also grateful for the efforts of former CIA presidents Grafton Nunes and David Deming, who nurtured a strong bond between Joan and the College."

Horvitz, an admired Cleveland-based couture designer, passed away in 2021. Joan Yellen Couture Designs can be viewed in the permanent collections of the Kent State Museum Costume collection; The Western Reserve Historical Society, The Chisolm Halle Costume Wing; and the Ursuline College Historical Costume Study Collection.

Horvitz served on CIA's Board of Directors from 2002 to 2004 and on the College's Advisory Board (now Advisory Council) from 2005 to 2021. During her lifetime, she and her husband, Leonard, gave nearly $400,000 to CIA. She was generous to the College with both her time and support.

"Joan was a passionate supporter of the arts and an accomplished artist in her own right. She understood that artists play a vital role in advancing culture throughout the world and thus wanted to support talented young people who are dedicated to carrying on this mission. She believed in developing authentic and creative art leaders that strengthen communities by inspiring people and broadening their horizons. Her interest in art was broadly based and included the practices of animation, drawing, graphic design, painting, photography, and sculpture, all of which are supported by the Cleveland Institute of Art," say Richard Horvitz and Erica Hartman-Horvitz.

The $7 million gift will support CIA's Transformation Campaign, a comprehensive campaign that focuses on five mission-defining impact areas.

The Joan Yellen Horvitz Scholarship will support the Student Access + Success impact area, which aims to ensure the affordability and accessibility of CIA’s word-class education for all deserving students, regardless of their financial circumstances. This impact area also focuses on developing more robust support structures for CIA students to help them navigate college life and pursue their creative passions.

The public phase of CIA's Transformation Campaign is due to launch in November.