About Us
The Rema Hort Mann Foundation was established on our deep belief in the healing powers of creativity and community. In our work, we’ve discovered meaningful kinship and connection between emerging artists and individuals battling cancer. We celebrate their shared spirit of bravery, resilience, and hope as a community, and we empower their individual journeys toward healing and artistic creativity.
Our Story
1995
Rema Hort Mann, a champion of emerging artists and a dedicated advocate for contemporary art, dies from stomach cancer at the age of 30. In the wake of her passing, family and friends transform grief into action, founding the Rema Hort Mann Fund to carry forward her belief in early artistic support and the power of care and connection in the face of cancer.
1996-1997: The Rema Hort Mann Fund awards its first cohort of Emerging Artist Grants, including Sarah Sze and Patty Chang, marking the beginning of a program recognized for identifying artists of lasting influence at the earliest stages of their career.
Late 1990s: RHMF introduces the Quality of Life Grants, expanding its mission to support individuals navigating cancer alongside emerging artists.
2000
The Emerging Artists Grant program grows into a recognized force within the contemporary art landscape, supporting artists such as Sanford Biggers, Dana Schutz, and Mickalene Thomas — whose careers illustrate the long-term impact of early support.
Early 2000s: RHMF deepens partnerships with hospitals and social workers, strengthening the Quality of Life Grants and building a reliable network of care for individuals and families navigating cancer.
Sanford Biggers, Reconstruction, 2019. Antique quilt, birch plywood, gold leaf, 38 x 72 x 19 in.
© Sanford Biggers and Monique Meloche Gallery, Chicago. Photo: RCH Photography.
Mid-2000's: The Rema Hort Mann Fund extends its support beyond individual practice with the introduction of the Artist Community Engagement Grant. The initiative funds artist-led projects that foster dialogue, cultural exchange, and meaningful connection between artists and communities.
2015
RHMF Celebrates 20 years with another milestone gala, Honoring Found Member Dr. David Biro and MOMA Ps1 director Klaus Biesenbach
2016: The Rema Hort Mann Fund marks a significant moment of geographic and cultural expansion as the Emerging Artist Grant program extends to Los Angeles, supporting artists such as Christina Quarles, Lauren Halsey, and Patrisse Cullors.
2017: Buy What You Love is introduced as a signature art benefit, offering original works at accessible price points and connecting art collecting with support for emerging artists and cancer care programs.
2020
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rema Hort Mann Fund continues to provide uninterrupted support to artists and individuals navigating cancer, underscoring the foundation’s flexibility and responsiveness in moments of crisis.
2022: Following the passing of Peter Hort at age 51, the Quality of Life Grant program is renamed in his honor, recognizing his decades-long dedication to keeping individuals and families connected during cancer treatment.
2022: Rema Hort Mann Fund marks twenty-five years of impact with a milestone Gala & Benefit Auction in New York City, bringing together artists and supporters to celebrate the foundation’s work and advance its grantmaking.
RHMF Honored David Biro, MD, PHD, and Klaus Biesenbach,
2025: Rema Hort Mann Fund marks three decades of impact, having awarded hundreds of artist grants and more than 2,000 Quality of Life Grants.
Our Team
RHMF is guided by a deeply engaged and accomplished Board of Directors, whose leadership and vision provide the strategic foundation for the organization’s work. This governance is complemented by a small but highly dedicated staff team that drives day-to-day operations with care, efficiency, and purpose. Together, the Board and staff work in close collaboration to advance RHMF’s mission—ensuring that emerging artists receive critical support at pivotal moments in their careers, and that cancer patients have access to the resources and connection needed to navigate treatment with dignity and support.
