Dale and Leslie Chihuly believe that the arts play a critical role in inspiring people from all walks of life to see the world in a new way. As leaders in the arts, they understand that important projects by aspiring artists may never come to fruition without adequate funding. Through their Foundation, the Chihulys have made a commitment to support artists in their practice and to ensure access to quality arts education programs that help to inspire challenging conversations, bridge cultural distances, and build stronger community connections.
Leslie Jackson Chihuly and Dale Chihuly, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2019 © Chihuly Studio. All Rights Reserved.
Dale Chihuly
Artist
Co-Founder, The Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation
Principal, Chihuly Studio & Chihuly Workshop
Dale Chihuly is an American artist noted for revolutionizing the studio glass movement and elevating perceptions of the glass medium. Known for ambitious architectural installations in cities, museums, and gardens around the world, Chihuly utilizes a variety of media to realize his creative vision, including glass, paint, charcoal, neon, ice, and Polyvitro.
Chihuly’s work is included in more than 200 museum collections worldwide, including Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum and Corning Museum of Glass. Major exhibitions include Chihuly Over Venice (1995-96), Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem (1999), de Young Museum in San Francisco (2008), Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2011), Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond (2012), Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Canada (2013), Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada (2016), Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas (2017), Groninger Museum, Groningen, Netherlands (2018), and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, U.K (2019). Chihuly Garden and Glass, a long-term exhibition located at the Seattle Center, opened in 2012.
Leslie Jackson Chihuly
Co-Founder, The Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation
President and CEO, Chihuly Studio & Chihuly Workshop
Leslie Jackson Chihuly is an American arts executive and philanthropist with a focus on democratizing access to the arts and to ensuring ongoing viability for artists and arts organizations. She is the president and chief executive officer of Chihuly Studio and Chihuly Workshop, both of which support the artistic vision of her husband and partner, Dale Chihuly. Leslie is a member of the International Women’s Forum and serves on the boards of Vassar College and Pilchuck Glass School. She chairs the Benaroya Hall Music Center Board, and serves as chair emerita of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra Board.
Leslie is the recipient of several awards which honor her advocacy work, including the Puget Sound Business Journal’s “Women of Influence” Award, Senator Maria Cantwell’s “Women of Valor Award,” and The Women’s University Club’s “Brava! Award” In 2018, Leslie was inducted into the College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in recognition of her extraordinary achievements in the arts.