John Cage and Merce Cunningham’s contributions to contemporary 20th century art and culture transformed the performing arts.

Baryshnikov Arts Center’s (BAC) commitment to artistic innovation aspires to reflect and extend their groundbreaking work.

Launched in 2014, The Cage Cunningham Fund directly supports future generations of artists who are continuing Cage and Cunningham’s commitment to artistic innovation. The Cage Cunningham Fund awards $50,000 Cage Cunningham Fellowships annually to an artist reflecting Cage and Cunningham’s commitment to collaboration, experimentation and rigor.

The inaugural 2016-17 Cage Cunningham Fellow was Russian pianist Alexei Lubimov, who applied his $50,000 award to commission five composers at the forefront of music innovation: Anton Batagov, Bryce Dessner, Pavel Karmanov, Julia Wolfe, and Sergei Zagny. The 2017-18 Cage Cunningham Fellow was choreographer Pam Tanowitz, who used the fellowship to develop new interdisciplinary works. In recognition of Cunningham's centennial celebration in 2019 and through a special fundraising effort, the 2018-19 Cage Cunningham Fellowship extended the award to five artists working across disciplines: Filmmaker Charles Atlas, Multimedia Artist Tei Blow, Composer / Musician Phyllis Chen, and Choreographers / Dancers Liz Gerring and Silas Riener. The 2019-20 Cage Cunningham Fellow is lighting designer Jennifer Tipton, who will collaborate with a set designer and a sound designer to develop an immersive installation.

The John Cage and Merce Cunningham Studio is the first physical space named in Cage and Cunningham’s honor. Naming this space at BAC creates an especially vital tribute in New York City’s cultural landscape—Cage and Cunningham’s home and site of creative exploration for the majority of their careers.

Cage and Cunningham were fearless artistic leaders. We are honored to be able to carry on the legacy and spirit of their work.

Cage Cunningham Campaign Contributors

Leadership gifts to the campaign were given by BAC Trustee Suzanne Weil and BAC’s Founder and Artistic Director Mikhail Baryshnikov. New and additional funds were raised thanks to the DiMenna Match, generously led by BAC Trustee Diana DiMenna and her husband, Joe DiMenna. Tremendous leadership support of the Campaign was awarded by the Merce Cunningham Trust.

American Express; Anonymous (6); David Bailin; Mikhail Baryshnikov and Lisa Rinehart; Robert Bielecki; Carolyn Brown; Nadia Burgard; Arlene Cooper; Frank and Monique Cordasco; Michael Cunningham; Nancy Dalva; Richard and Jennie DeScherer; Janet Dewan; Joseph and Diana DiMenna; Katie Dixon and Richard Fleming; Elizabeth Doud; Ally Duffey; James H. Duffy; Ruth Eisenberg; Judith R. and Alan H. Fishman; Barbara G. Fleischman; Martha J. Fleischman; Sandra Foschi; Catherine Gallant; Carol Giles-Straight; Barbara Gilston; Slavka B. Glaser; Andrew Goffe and Jeff Levin; Agnes Gund; Elaine Halpin; Irving Harris Foundation; Melissa Harris; Brian and Tania Higgins; Huong Hoang; Deirdre Howley; Roger and Joan Hooker; Stephanie Joel; Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine Kaye Foundation; Colleen Keegan; Christopher and Eleanor Lange; Penelope Laughton; Patricia Lent; Jarrett and Maritess Lilien; The Luce Della Vite Estate in Montalcino, Italy; Kristine Shays Lupi; Ryan MacGavin; Myra Malkin; Yael Mandelstam and Ken Tabachnick; Lee Manigault; Bonnie Marranca; Timothy McClimon and Suzanne Berman; Danny Melita and Kristy Santimyer-Melita; Merce Cunningham Trust; Aidan Mooney; Kirsten Munro; Soo Pak; Steven and Michèle Pesner; Georgiana Pickett; Alla Polotskaia; Judith Ratner-Amack; James E. Robison Foundation; Angelica and Neil Rudenstine; Vesna and Howard Sacks; David Saltonstall; Vernon Scott; Valda Setterfield; Noreen T. Shipman; Gus Solomons; Allan Sperling and Ferne Goldberg Sperling; Christina Sterner; Lucy Nell Stewart; Keith Stubblefield; Angele Surault; Jennifer Tipton; Tuma Family Trust; Nancy Umanoff; Marya Ursin; Jan and Marica Vilcek; In Memory of John L. Voorhees; Prue Wallis; Suzanne Weil; Roger Weisberg and Karen Freedman; David Weller; Lynn Wichern and David Wolfson; and Anne Zarrella.

All gifts as of March 2, 2021

Read the press release announcing the launch of the Cage Cunningham Campaign.

Read the press release announcing The DiMenna Match.

Read the press release announcing the completion of the Cage Cunningham Campaign and the inaugural Cage Cunningham Fellow.

Read the press release announcing the second Cage Cunningham Fellow.

Read the press release announcing the third Cage Cunningham Fellows.

Read the press release announcing the fourth Cage Cunningham Fellow