Trust for the National Mall Receives Major Gift from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to Support Temporary Commemorative Works Pilot Program

National Capital Planning Commission and National Park Service will partner with the Trust on the “Beyond Granite” pilot project

The Trust for the National Mall (Trust) was awarded a multimillion-dollar grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support a pilot project to create a new model for temporary commemorative works in Washington, DC. The project will bring a series of commemorative installations on and around the National Mall and in Washington, DC neighborhoods that fully engage the community in conversation and reflect and honor the diversity of the American people.  

The project, part of the Mellon Foundation's “Monuments Project,” will be a partnership between the Trust, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), and the National Park Service along with contributing organizations including the District of Columbia, Smithsonian Institution, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts.  

The 27-month grant will support community outreach, development, and the installation of 8-10 temporary commemorative works. The goal of “Beyond Granite” is to elevate underrepresented national and local stories in the commemorative landscape.  

“The Trust is committed to building a proactive, sustainable program for the National Mall and the District that reflects the diversity of the American people and will promote equity, diversity and inclusion,” said Teresa Durkin, Trust for the National Mall Executive Vice President and lead author of the grant submission.

“NCPC is thrilled to explore with our partners how we can make our commemorative landscape more inclusive and accessible, and expand our ideas for who, what, and how we memorialize,” said National Capital Planning Commission Executive Director Marcel Acosta. “Beyond Granite will build upon previous efforts, including Memorials for the Future, and expand opportunities for diverse perspectives and experiences, better respond to more current issues, and use new materials and media.”

"The Trust is excited to work with its partners, the National Capital Planning Commission and the National Park Service to bring these planned commemorative works and bring diverse voices and stories to life on the National Mall,” said Trust President and CEO Catherine Townsend. “We believe that these temporary works can help ensure a more vibrant, dynamic and inclusive National Mall – a major goal of the Trust’s work on America’s civic stage.”