The Cheng Family Foundation announces $25,000 matching challenge for Laguna Art Museum’s Art + Nature 2026
The Cheng Family Foundation has established a $25,000 matching challenge for Laguna Art Museum’s Art + Nature 2026. Through November 1, eligible contributions will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $25,000, giving donors the opportunity to help generate as much as $50,000 for the museum and its annual Art + Nature series.
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Courtesy of LAM
Art + Nature, 2024 Christian Sampson, “Ocean Ions”
“Laguna Art Museum is one of our favorite cultural institutions, and The Cheng Family Foundation is proud to support the programs and exhibitions that make it such a meaningful part of our community,” foundation representatives said. “Art + Nature is especially important because it invites us to appreciate the beauty of our environment while also reflecting on the urgent realities of climate change and our shared responsibility to care for the natural world. We hope this matching challenge will encourage others to join us in supporting the museum and this distinctive initiative.”
Now in its 14th year, Laguna Art Museum’s Art + Nature initiative explores the dynamic relationship between artistic expression and the natural world. The 2026 initiative will unfold from fall 2026 through January 2027, encompassing two companion exhibitions, outdoor art, educational and community programs, artist conversations, participatory experiences and the return of the museum’s Upcycled Couture fashion show.
“Art + Nature reflects something essential about Laguna Beach: the understanding that creativity and the natural world are deeply connected,” said Julie Perlin Lee, executive director of Laguna Art Museum. “We are tremendously grateful to The Cheng Family Foundation for helping us bring that connection to life, particularly for young people. Their generous matching gift will support local school vision.
Highlights of Art + Nature 2026 include:
–Two companion exhibitions: Radiant Terrains: Elements of Light in Contemporary Art from the Permanent Collection, on view September 19–January 10, 2027, explores how artists have used light as atmosphere, physical energy, environmental condition and metaphor. Kim Manfredi: View with a Grain of Sand, on view October 3–January 18, 2027, features paintings that examine perception, landscape and humanity’s relationship with the natural world.
–Art + Nature Celebration Week: Beginning November 1, the week kicks off with a community Block Party on the Main Beach Cobblestones and continues with artist conversations, collaborative artmaking, wellness and environmental programs, and opportunities for indoor and outdoor engagement.
–Kim Manfredi’s A Flag Walk for Our Future: Presented November 5–9 along a 0.7-mile accessible pathway through Heisler Park.
–The return of Upcycled Couture: On January 9, 2027, Laguna Art Museum’s Upcycled Couture fashion show will celebrate the intersection of art, fashion and environmental responsibility through imaginative wearable works created from repurposed and unexpected materials.
Gifts made through The Cheng Family Foundation matching challenge will help Laguna Art Museum present these exhibitions and programs while expanding opportunities for students, families, residents and visitors to engage with art and the environment.
To make a matched contribution by November 1, visit www.lagunaartmuseum.org/donate.
For information about Art + Nature 2026 and the latest program details, visit www.lagunaartmuseum.org/art-nature.
Laguna Art Museum is located at 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach.
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Closed Mondays, except Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, and Labor Day. Closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
For more information, visit www.lagunaartmuseum.org.
