Komal Shah's Making Their Mark Launches Together in Teaching with New York City Public Schools
Founded in 2014 by Komal Shah and Gaurav Garg, and rebranded in 2025, Making Their Mark introduced Together in Teaching, a program aimed at incorporating underrepresented women artists into the curricula of New York public schools. Twelve educators utilized Shah and Garg's collection to develop a curriculum that highlights female artists alongside their male peers. This initiative was unveiled at a New Museum symposium, which featured attendees such as Suzanne Jackson, Joy Pace, Lauren O'Neill-Butler, Massimiliano Gioni, and Paul Thompson. More than 100 educators benefited from the insights of the teacher-creators. The curriculum showcases artists including Amy Sillman, Joan Mitchell, Simone Leigh, Sarah Sze, and Barbara Chase-Riboud. Making Their Mark intends to expand its reach nationally in 2024, with the goal of transforming art history education.
Key facts
- Making Their Mark unveiled Together in Teaching, a program integrating women artists into New York public school curriculum
- The foundation was founded in 2014 as the Shah Garg Foundation by Komal Shah and Gaurav Garg and renamed in 2025
- Twelve teachers received unrestricted access to Shah and Garg's personal collection to build the curriculum
- The program was announced at a symposium at the New Museum attended by over 100 New York public school educators
- Curriculum artists include Amy Sillman, Joan Mitchell, Simone Leigh, Sarah Sze, and Barbara Chase-Riboud
- Shah's collection traveled nationally for the 2023 "Making Their Mark" exhibition
- A 2023 book, "Making Their Mark: Art by Women in the Shah Garg Collection," and a March 2026 Washington, DC forum preceded the initiative
- Making Their Mark plans to expand the program nationally next year
Entities
Artists
- Komal Shah
- Gaurav Garg
- Suzanne Jackson
- Lauren O'Neill-Butler
- Massimiliano Gioni
- Paul Thompson
- Amy Sillman
- Joan Mitchell
- Simone Leigh
- Sarah Sze
- Barbara Chase-Riboud
- Karen Rosner
Institutions
- Making Their Mark
- Shah Garg Foundation
- New Museum
- New York Public Schools
- Arts Office at New York Public Schools
- CULTURED
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Washington, DC