Bryson Family Expands Endowment for Conservation Efforts

The J. Paul Getty Trust has announced an additional $5 million gift from Louise Bryson to the John E. and Louise Bryson Fund, an endowment established to further the work of the Getty Conservation Institute.

The fund was originally established in 2017 by John E. and Louise Bryson with a landmark $5 million gift to support the Institute’s efforts. The couple’s philanthropic support was recognized by establishing Getty’s first named position, the John E. and Louise Bryson Director of the Getty Conservation Institute. With this new gift, the naming of the directorship will be made permanent while expanding the fund’s commitment to support the Institute’s work.

“We are deeply grateful to Louise and John Bryson for their steadfast and generous support of Getty, especially the work within the Getty Conservation Institute,” says Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust. “This incredible new vote of confidence in our people and programs will ensure that the Institute can continue to expand its groundbreaking work and research for years to come.”

Louise Bryson’s involvement with Getty spans many years, and she has played a pivotal role in its leadership since joining as a trustee in 1998. She was appointed chair of the board of trustees in 2006, became chair emerita in 2010, and cofounded the Getty Conservation Institute Council. She is a former member of Getty’s President’s International Council and has been a dedicated supporter of PST ART (formerly Pacific Standard Time), the Getty Patron Program, and other major initiatives, including the Institute’s 2016 exhibition Cave Temples of Dunhuang: Buddhist Art on China’s Silk Road.

Additionally, she spent more than 30 years in media leadership roles at Lifetime Television and FX Networks, is a member of the Trustees’ Council of the National Gallery of Art, and has served on the boards of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the California Community Foundation. She was a director of several funds at Capital Group–American Funds, a trustee of Southern California Public Radio, and a former chair of KCET and member of the PBS National Board.

John Bryson was an executive whose career merged leadership roles in the public and private sectors. He served as secretary of commerce under President Barack Obama, chairman and CEO of Edison International, and earlier as president of the California Public Utilities Commission and chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board, shaping regional and national environmental policy. He cofounded the National Resources Defense Council as a recent law school graduate in 1970.

“I’m delighted to support the outstanding work of the Getty Conservation Institute, which continues to have a remarkable impact preserving cultural heritage in Los Angeles and with partners across the globe,” says Louise Bryson. “Getty plays a unique role in the art world as a catalyst and convener, and we know that our gift will sustain important work long into the future.”

“Louise has set a high bar as a Getty trustee and chair emerita,” says Robert W. Lovelace, current chair of Getty’s board of trustees. “She led the board with integrity and passion and has been instrumental in nurturing so many initiatives that make Getty an institution admired around the world. We are honored that the Bryson family will continue to be associated with Getty through the directorship of the Conservation Institute.”

The Institute works internationally to advance conservation practice, supporting cultural heritage professionals worldwide through research, education, training, and field projects. It continues to serve as a global leader in heritage conservation, creating knowledge and tools that empower professionals to protect the world’s cultural legacy.

“Louise’s commitment to and partnership with the Institute remain some of my most valued collaborations during my time at Getty,” says Tim Whalen, John E. and Louise Bryson Director of the Getty Conservation Institute. “Her continued dedication and generosity toward everything we do within the Institute and around the world allow us to extend the important work we are privileged to carry out to preserve the world’s cultural heritage.”