Collectors Steven Bennett and Elaine Schmidt Promote Women Realist Artists Through Prize and Museum Donation
Art collectors Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt established The Bennett Collection of Women Realists® in 2009, focusing on figurative realist paintings by female artists. They created the Bennett Prize and donated $12 million in art and funds to the Muskegon Museum of Art in Michigan for a new wing dedicated to women artists. Their efforts aim to address gender disparities in the art world, where statistics show limited representation of female artists in museum collections and the market. The collectors encourage others to support contemporary artists directly.
Key facts
- Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt founded The Bennett Collection of Women Realists® in 2009
- The collection specializes in figurative realist paintings created by women artists
- They established the Bennett Prize and contributed $12 million to the Muskegon Museum of Art for a new wing
- A 2019 report indicated only 11% of acquisitions at top U.S. museums over the past decade were by female artists
- The collectors advocate for supporting living artists through direct engagement and purchases
Entities
Institutions
- The Bennett Collection of Women Realists®
- Muskegon Museum of Art
Locations
- Michigan