Rising Philanthropist Interview: 10 Questions with Carla Shen

How are young donors shaping the future of philanthropy? In this series, today’s rising philanthropists share their thoughts on the arts sector, their ambitions for cultural funding and the impact they hope philanthropy can have on society.

Today, AFF sits down with Brooklyn philanthropist and art collector Carla Shen. After graduating cum laude from Yale University, Shen worked in finance for 14 years. She serves on the board of Green-Wood Cemetery and on the board of the Brooklyn Museum, an institution dear to her family: Shen’s mother, the late Carol L. Shen, was an administrator in the conservation department for 35 years and her father, Theodore P. Shen, also served on the museum’s board. 

Below, get to know Carla and what inspires her:

Carla Shen. Photo credit: Allison Michael Orenstein.

What is your role in the cultural sector?

I am passionate about supporting the Brooklyn Museum and Green-Wood Cemetery, two organizations whose boards I’ve served on for the past 10 years. 

The Brooklyn Museum is committed to re-examining history by telling alternate narratives of groups who have long been ignored or suppressed. It is also presenting work from its collection in new contexts and in conversation with art from the cultures and communities from which the works originated. I’m so proud of the museum’s support of arts education; it’s not only welcoming more students than ever to its galleries, but it’s also providing in-school art classes in some of the most under-resourced communities in Brooklyn.

Green-Wood Cemetery is in the midst of an exciting transformation into a vibrant and unique cultural institution. Remaining committed to its role as an operating cemetery and respectful of its “permanent residents,” Green-Wood is leveraging its unique landscape, art, and history to provide leadership in historic preservation, open-space programming, education and environmental stewardship. I am excited about the collaborations Green-Wood has done with cultural partners in the realms of film, dance, music, spoken word, visual arts, theater and more. And I’m even more thrilled that Green-Wood is now commissioning artists to create site-specific works inspired by or related to its grounds, history, permanent residents or the topics of life and death.

What impact does the arts have on society? 

Art allows us to understand and interpret our different worldviews and cultures. We need art to help bring people together, spark conversations, and share values and ideas.  Art makes us human; it keeps us sane. Art is a way for people to express themselves, their feelings, beliefs, fears and passions, in a creative and unique way, which brings meaning and purpose to society.

What’s your earliest memory of a high-impact philanthropic moment?

I always knew my parents were generous, but it wasn’t until I was 14 or 15 when my parents started to include me in their philanthropic discussions. I remember the first time my parents asked me to join them to review the spreadsheet they kept of all of their year-end charitable gifts. I never knew the number of organizations they supported nor the amount they gave to each. I remember being floored by what seemed to me like a substantial amount of money they gave away each year. It dawned on me then how committed my parents were to giving back and supporting organizations they believed in, from the arts to education to social services and beyond. As they continued to include me in these annual discussions, I really began to internalize the importance of philanthropy.

Who are the philanthropists who inspire you? 

I feel very lucky to serve alongside Stephanie Ingrassia on the Brooklyn Museum board, as she has been a huge inspiration and mentor to me for over a decade.  She is a passionate supporter of the arts and many other organizations, and she is such a smart, humble, no-nonsense, and creative leader. 

I also greatly admire Agnes Gund, who, like Stephanie, is extremely classy, selfless, kind and generous. Ms. Gund has a long history of inspirational high-impact philanthropy, but I was especially blown away when I heard about the Art for Justice Fund she started in 2017 with $100 million that she raised from the sale of a Roy Lichtenstein painting in her collection. Her leadership and influence also prompted many other collectors to make donations to the Fund. What a role model!

Why do you give to the arts?

The arts have always played a large role in my life.  My parents were avid arts-lovers of music, theater, ballet, dance, and visual arts. I grew up attending a broad range of performances and exhibitions with them and now realize how much that exposure enriched my own development and outlook on the world. It was such a privilege to have had access to the institutions and their programs to which I was being taken. Ideally, I wish I could make sure that art can play a role in every child’s development as well as in every adult’s life.  By working with the Brooklyn Museum and Green-Wood Cemetery, I feel that I am contributing significantly to my hometown of Brooklyn, but also to organizations that set examples for others across the nation or even the world. With a view from the inside, I have come to see that it’s up to philanthropists and visionary leaders, that really only a high-level of philanthropy can attract to the non-profit sector, to make sure arts institutions and organizations continue to exist – and thrive – for generations to come.

Do you see the way younger generations are giving to the arts as different from previous generations? If so, how?

Yes, I definitely see a shift in philanthropic behaviors in the younger generations.  In general, I see the younger generation seeking a different value proposition. They sincerely want to be helpful and provide more than a straight financial gift, they seem more likely to offer their advice, connections or networks. I’ve also seen the influencer effect – where people feel that their physical and digital/social media presence at an opening or event are worth more than a cash donation. I don’t want to seem ungrateful for the time, energy, advice, and connections some members of the younger generation give – oftentimes it’s extremely helpful and well appreciated, but the question we are all asking is how to persuade the younger generation to continue to do that in tandem with financially supporting organizations.

What do you hope AFF will achieve?

I hope AFF will raise awareness of the necessity of developing the next generation of philanthropists. By presenting compelling research and generating discussion about giving trends among institutions and funders, AFF can be the catalyst for the creation of some sort of road map for how we build individual donor trends over the coming generations.

Any advice for donors who are just starting to support the arts?

Find organizations to which you feel a connection, whose missions and visions resonate with you. So much of deciding what kind of organization you want to support is a gut feeling. Do you like what the organization is doing and whom they are serving? Do you admire the people who lead and run the organization? Will you feel happy knowing that you are supporting the work this organization is doing?

How can institutions better engage millennials and other potential young donors?

I wish I had an answer to that! It’s the question every organization is asking right now. I think we need some more high-profile philanthropic leaders from that generation to serve as role models to other millennials.

Could you tell us about your #CarlasCamo hashtag on Instagram?

My #CarlasCamo matching hobby started unintentionally three years ago when I attended a Richard Mosse show wearing a dress that looked like I had stepped out of one of his pink saturated photographs. In the following weeks, I happened to wear outfits that also looked similar to works in various shows. Shortly thereafter, I was inspired to intentionally start dressing like the art I was seeing. Since I try to visit galleries or museums at least three to four times a week, I usually can find at least one or two matching outfits. I have a lot of fun with the process of finding matches and I never take myself too seriously. 

The main reason I continue to post #CarlasCamo matches to my Instagram feed is to draw attention to and celebrate artists and their artwork. I predominantly match art of living artists because I love to highlight really exciting and inspiring current artists. Even though I’m only posting one photo from a show, I always include the link to the artist’s and gallery’s Instagram page in the hopes that people will click through to see more of the artist’s work. While I could just post a photo of the artwork by itself, by dressing to match a work I, in my own quirky way of interacting with it, am intending to pay tribute to the art and artist.  I hope that my photos offer a more accessible and even humorous way for people to look at art.