• $24,800 to Fundación Olga y Rufino Tamayo, A.C. for the acquisition of the Work Atlas “Vista de Ojos”. 
• $55,000 to La Panadería Centro Cultural de Arte, A.C. for general operations of SOMA’s artist education program.

The growing interest in arts and culture among ICF donors has introduced new opportunities for a range of institutions and initiatives, including:

Museums and Festivals:

In recent years, we have seen growing interest from donors, partners, and grantees in increasing access to diverse forms of art and elevating the quality and diversity of art in the communities where ICF works. As a result, ICF manages funds for exhibition spaces such as the renowned Museo Tamayo in Mexico City or the nonprofit SOMA gallery, or alternative initiatives to foment cultural exchange such as the inSITE Casa Gallina artist residence in Mexico City, and their newest iteration: InSITE Proyectos de Arte, in Tijuana. Since 2013, ICF has served as fiscal sponsor for the Annual Gala de Danza Festival in Los Cabos, which is both a form of cultural exchange and rare state-of-the art experience for the southern Baja community. Gala de Danza also raises funds to support the Danza Que Da Esperanza scholarship program, which in 2020 provides academic and dance instruction to 30 students from low income areas of Los Cabos.

Collectively, these cultural opportunities not only provide rich experiences for local residents, but also encourage thousands of visitors to come to Mexico every year, delivering multiple economic and cultural benefits to the local communities.

Historic Restoration Projects:

La Ramona Historic Smokestack Restoration:

From 2015 to 2019, ICF partnered with Corredor Historico CAREM, A.C and Restaurando Nuestro Historia A.C., along with various Mexican government agencies, to restore the iconic smokestack in El Triunfo, Baja California Sur. Measuring 154 feet in height, the smokestack, known as ‘La Ramona’, is more than 115 years old, and is an homage to a more prosperous era when silver and gold mining enriched the local economy, growing El Triunfo’s population in the 1890s to over 10,000 people from all over Mexico, the United States, Europe, and China. Today, El Triunfo’s population has reduced to apx. 500 and the economy largely depends on agriculture or nearby fishing and tourism industries, the iconic smokestack serves as a stark reminder of the environmental and economic risks that extractive industries represent. Along with a newly opened Mining Museum and restored Casa de Cultura, the newly-restored La Ramona is an anchor landmark helping to catalyze El Triunfo as an alternative tourist destination in southern Baja, bringing new economic and cultural opportunities to the community. Contributions to the La Ramona Fund will support ongoing site development such as educational signage, lighting, security fencing, and picnic areas and implementation of a community-led management plan to ensure the sustainable, long-term protection of the town’s historical patrimony. 

El Camino Real UNESCO World Heritage Nomination:

ICF is also supporting the binational UNESCO World Heritage nomination for “El Camino Real,” a 1,400-mile historical trail linking the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, and California. The Camino began as a network of Native American trails designed to link crucial environmental resources and diverse cultural groups, but is now marked by a series of Jesuit missions in towns and cities along the route. As a hub of stunning architecture, culture, and ideas for over 200 years, El Camino Real gives invaluable insight on the role of trade, art, religion and technology that brought development to the Californias, from Los Cabos to Loreto, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and as far north as Sonoma. This binational UNESCO nomination is a multi-year and multi-stakeholder effort, spearheaded by CAREM, A.C., and requires strong philanthropic and civic efforts on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.