Getty Launches Global Fellowship to Unite Art and Sustainability Worldwide
The Getty Trust unveils a multi-year global fellowship placing artists and cultural workers at institutions worldwide to address climate change through art, preservation, and community engagement.
In response to escalating climate crises—from wildfires to extreme storms—the Getty Trust announced a groundbreaking multi-year program aiming to fuse art, culture, and sustainability on a global scale. The new Getty Global Art and Sustainability Fellows initiative will place early-career artists and cultural professionals at 15 institutions across six continents, focusing on climate resiliency in heritage and creative practice.
The fellowship supports critical projects ranging from safeguarding vulnerable collections against environmental threats to pioneering innovative public art that engages communities in climate action. Partners include the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Tate St Ives, Guggenheim Bilbao, Singapore Art Museum, and the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi in the Amazon, among others.
“This initiative harnesses the unique power of the arts to amplify urgent conversations around climate change,” said Katherine Fleming, Getty’s president and CEO. Fellows will help develop tools like the Climate Vulnerability Index, which assesses risks to heritage sites, while collaborating closely with Indigenous communities to ensure inclusive, culturally informed approaches.
Beyond preservation, the program emphasizes creative interpretation. Tate St Ives’ networked residencies, for example, will unite artists working in diverse, climate-impacted locations—from Cornwall’s coast to Bangladesh’s monsoon zones—to generate new works that inspire resilience and action.
With fellowships spanning disciplines from conservation science to visual arts, the program promises to forge a global dialogue at the intersection of culture and environmental stewardship. As climate change reshapes the world’s landscapes and histories, Getty’s fellowship positions art and heritage as essential players in imagining and building sustainable futures.
The first cohort of fellows is set to begin placements later this year, marking a bold step toward integrating artistic innovation and sustainability leadership worldwide.
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