I first fell in love with Calder as a young man, creating a passion that has only grown with time. From the moment I bought my first work 35 years ago, I treasured the experience of living with Calder and from that point built my collection very intentionally.

Jon Shirley

In spring 2023, SAM announced the generosity of patrons Jon and Kim Shirley in gifting the Shirley Family Calder Collection, of over 45 works plus lithographs and related ephemera from every decade of the American artist’s career, to the museum. The collection—one of the most important private holdings of Calder’s art—is the result of 35 years of thoughtful collecting. It includes iconic mobiles, stabiles, standing mobiles, wire sculptures, a constellation, and works on paper, as well as a significant oil painting.

The Shirleys’ gift to SAM is the centerpiece of an ongoing series of annual exhibitions and programs that will explore Calder, his diverse cultural influences, and his profound impact on modern and contemporary art. The gift also includes a $10M endowment and $1M in additional funds for special programming and ticket and transportation subsidies to ensure under-resourced or previously excluded communities will have increased opportunities to access the museum. The gift will bolster national awareness of SAM and have long-lasting cultural, economic, educational and community impact for Seattle and surrounding areas.

The Shirleys have a long and distinguished history of philanthropic support of the Seattle Art Museum. Both Jon and Kim Shirley currently serve on the museum’s board of trustees, and Jon Shirley served as chairman of the Board of Trustees from 2000 to 2008. Mr. Shirley and his late wife Mary provided the founding gift that led to the creation of the museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park in 2007, a nine-acre park that is now Seattle’s largest greenspace.

The Shirley family always intended to share these artworks with the public. The gift was established as part of an ongoing initiative including annual exhibitions, programs, and artistic and institutional collaborations centered on Calder, with the goal of expanding knowledge, appreciation, and access to these significant works.