The New York Academy of Art (NYAA) has announced plans to contribute $65,900 related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to a nonprofit aiding sex trafficking survivors. This decision follows revelations from recently released Epstein documents and acknowledges the academy’s missteps in maintaining ties with Epstein after his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution. The NYAA expressed regret over its prior association with Epstein, which concluded before his 2019 arrest, and is forming an ethics committee to guide donor relations.
Founded in 1982 by Andy Warhol and Stuart Pivar, the academy will donate the funds received from Epstein in 2012 and 2014 to Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS). This donation follows a similar $30,000 contribution made in 2020, matching Epstein’s direct funding for scholarships in 2014, after the academy apologized to alumna Maria Farmer. Farmer had accused Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell of sexual assault and reported them to the FBI in 1996.
Farmer’s allegations included claims that then-NYAA Dean Eileen Guggenheim introduced her to Epstein and Maxwell during her thesis show in 1995, urging a discounted art sale to Epstein. Epstein later employed Farmer as an art advisor. Additional details from the Epstein files highlight a $25,000 donation for the academy’s Tribeca Ball and support for the Portrait Scholarship fund, facilitated by Guggenheim. The NYAA board has acknowledged that Epstein’s involvement in these events and programs was inappropriate.
In light of the disclosures, Guggenheim will step down as board chair earlier than planned, departing in April instead of May. These revelations contribute to the broader exposure of Epstein’s affiliations with cultural institutions. Recently, David A. Ross resigned from his position at the School of Visual Arts due to his past support for Epstein. The documents also provide further insights into allegations involving Museum of Modern Art trustee Leon Black.
