The US Pavilion Is Taking Online Donations

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The American Arts Conservancy, the emerging nonprofit responsible for Alma Allen’s 2026 pavilion project, announced it has not received financial backing from any institutions.

The US Pavilion is asking the public for donations. (photo Elisabetta Villa/Getty Images, edit Shari Flores/Hyperallergic)

Previously, contributors to the United States Pavilion at the Venice Biennale took pride in being recognized as patrons of this esteemed art event. However, this year, under the Trump administration’s State Department, the funding for Alma Allen’s pavilion is notably unclear. 

Unlike the 2024 US Pavilion by Jeffrey Gibson, which received public backing from sponsors like the Ford and Mellon foundations, no entities have publicly associated themselves with Allen’s exhibit.

Instead, the American Arts Conservancy (AAC), a nonprofit established just a year ago and tasked with completing the 2026 pavilion, is seeking donations through a “Support Our Mission” button on its website, encouraging the public to contribute at least $100. 

The US government contributed $375,000 to this year’s pavilion costs but mandated additional funding from the artist due to the overall expenses exceeding the federal grant, as stated by a State Department spokesperson to Hyperallergic. While the exact cost of Allen’s pavilion remains undisclosed, Simone Leigh’s 2022 pavilion cost around $7 million, and Gibson’s exceeded $5 million. This change in the artist selection process occurred after Trump’s budget cuts shifted the responsibility from the National Endowment for the Arts to the State Department. 

Jenni Parido, Executive Director of AAC, who previously managed a pet food store in Florida before taking on the role of US Venice Biennale Commissioner, explained to Hyperallergic via email that the organization did not secure “corporate or foundation funding” for the pavilion. 

“AAC has raised funds for the U.S. Pavilion through the generous support of private citizens who believe in the importance of American artists and cultural exchange,” Parido stated. 

Parido added that the names of individual donors will be displayed on the pavilion wall and on an updated website during the event. 

While Parido did not disclose specific donors, posts on the organization’s Instagram suggest that affluent Trump allies attended AAC’s benefit events tagged “#ArtPatrons,” including Rufus Hankey, whose father Don Hankey supported Trump’s $175 million bond during his 2024 New York civil fraud case. 

A representative for Perrotin Gallery, which represents Allen after Mendes Wood DM and Olney Gleason reportedly dropped him following the commission, told Hyperallergic that the gallery will assist with “operational and logistical support” but is not financing the pavilion. Further funding details were not provided by Perrotin.

Finding alternative funding methods for pavilion projects isn’t unique to Allen’s project. In 2024, Jeffrey Gibson collaborated with pavilion commissioners to sell limited-edition cashmere blankets for $7,500 at Sotheby’s, aiding his project’s finances. 

The unconventional funding method this year aligns with an atypical artist selection process. After the State Department took over the selection process from the NEA, curator John Ravenal and artist Robert Lazzarini were initially chosen to represent the US but were later dropped after a partnership with the University of South Florida fell through. 

In November, the State Department announced Allen, who resides in Mexico, and curator Jeffrey Uslip, a member of AAC’s advisory council, as representatives for the US, bypassing the official application process. 

In a statement to Hyperallergic, a State Department spokesperson described the pavilion as a platform to showcase “American Excellence,” a term used by the Trump Administration in its initiative to reform content at the Smithsonian Institution last year. 

“The Trump Administration delivered the selection of a talented self-taught American sculptor who personifies the greatness of the American Dream,” the spokesperson added.

Parido mentioned to Hyperallergic that AAC intends to donate a portion of the funds raised for the pavilion to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, demonstrating the organization’s “commitment to the city’s cultural community.” 

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection has yet to respond to Hyperallergic’s inquiry about the expected donation amount from AAC or its prior awareness of the donation.

As the Biennale’s preview opening approaches next week, tensions are rising around several national pavilions in the Giardini, especially those of Russia and Israel. The event’s jury recently stated that it would not consider “countries whose leaders are currently charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC)” for the Biennale’s Golden Lions awards.