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Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark., opened in November. Image by Charvex. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

Walton family gives $120M for Arkansas art school

Catherine Saunders-Watson
Catherine Saunders-Watson
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark., opened in November. Image by Charvex. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark., established through the major philanthropic effort of the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. Image by Charvex. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – A foundation established by the family of Walmart’s founder has given $120 million to the University of Arkansas to establish the first school of art in the state.

The university announced Wednesday that the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation had donated the money, which the school called the largest ever given to a university in the United States to support or establish a school of art.

The university says the school will place a strong emphasis on American art and the art of the Americas, which it says will complement the mission of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in neighboring Bentonville.

The new school’s development will be phased in over a five-year period and will factor in approvals needed for developing degree programs.

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