American Express Company

1992 BCA 10 Hall of Fame Honoree

American Express Company
New York, New York
 
Bestowed 1992

American Express Company has been supporting the arts for more than 35 years. The company believes that its support enhances the quality of life for individuals throughout the world. Each year, American express allocates approximately 25% of its philanthropic budget to the arts. In 1991, this totaled $5 million.

American Express has benefited the arts, business and the community by:

  • Providing support for new and promising talent, including grants to The Fund for New American Plays, a joint project with The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the President's Committee in the Arts and the Humanities; and the Foundation of Dramatists Guild/Young Playwrights Festival.
  • Underwriting programs to bring the arts into public schools, such as the New York Shakespeare Festival/Playwriting in the Schools and Jazzmobile, Inc./Arts Education Enrichment Program.
  • Sponsoring programs that encourage different cultures to better understand each other such as the American-Soviet Youth Orchestra's tour to 17 countries and the New York International Festival of the Arts.
  • Supporting new and innovative projects, such as the Artists' Files OnLine, developed by the Non-Traditional Casting Project, and New York City On Stage Accessibility Information, a 24-hour hotline created by the Theatre Development Fund.
  • Providing managerial expertise and financial support to help the Dance Theatre of Harlem resolve its financial problems and prevent it from disbanding.
  • Sponsoring numerous exhibitions, including “Rembrandt,” “Revelaciones: The Art of Manuel Alvarez Bravo,” “Annie Leibovitz Photographs 1970-1990,” “Diamonds are Forever: Artists and Writers on Baseball,” “Henri Cartier Bresson,” and “New Traditions: Thirteen Hispanic Photographers.” The company also sponsored the Micro Gallery: Computer Information Room, the first of its kind, in the National Gallery of Art in London.
  • Incorporating the arts into its Cause-Related Marketing Program in 1981. This program has produced an estimated $20 million for the arts and served as a model for how business and the arts can work together to achieve mutual goals.
  • Serving as a principal supporter of the Arts & Events Program in its world-wide headquarters in New York, New York.
  • Encouraging American Express Company executives and employees to serve as members of the boards of directors and to volunteer extensively for arts organizations in their communities. The company also matches employee gifts to cultural organizations on a one-to-one basis.