Spotlight
Emerging adaptive technology is helping expand access and independence for people who are blind or have low vision. Thomas Panek, CEO of Lighthouse Guild, completed the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half using AI-enabled glasses developed with Lighthouse Guild AI and Meta, demonstrating how tools designed with blind and low-vision leadership at the center can support navigation, orientation, and fuller participation in public life. Beyond the race itself, this work points to the broader potential of practical technologies that can help people move through the world with greater confidence and autonomy. The Blavatnik Family Foundation is a longtime supporter of Lighthouse Guild and Achilles International.
Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Gateways Festival Orchestra will come together for the first time in April 2026 for a live-orchestra presentation of Firebird at New York City Center, bringing two legacy institutions into collaboration around a work that highlights artistic excellence, cultural continuity, and the power of artistry in classical music and dance. The production will feature 58 Black professional classical musicians from leading orchestras, conservatories, and the freelance community, alongside Dance Theatre of Harlem’s New York season programming and its annual Vision Gala, which supports both the company’s artistic season and its school. The Warner Music Group & Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund is a supporter of Dance Theatre of Harlem.
The Gettysburg Film Festival is set to return on April 4 with a focus on the American Revolution to commemorate the United States’ 250th anniversary, featuring a star-studded lineup and a special star-spangled banner. Launched in 2023 by award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns, Burns returns to Gettysburg to share selections from his new series, ''The American Revolution," and lead conversations about the 250th anniversary. Among the conversations and events in 2026, the festival will feature several members of the original Broadway cast of the hit musical "Hamilton," including Phillipa Soo, who played Eliza Hamilton, Christopher Jackson, who played George Washington, and Okieriete Onaodowan, who played Hercules Mulligan and James Madison. Additional conversations will feature discussions with historians and policy experts, such as Susan Eisenhower, the CEO of the Eisenhower Group and granddaughter of President Dwight D. Eisenhower; and retired United States Army General Stanley McChrystal, who led the Joint Special Operations Command from 2003 to 2008. The Foundation is a long time supporter of Ken Burns and the Gettysburg Film Festival.
Jacob’s Pillow has announced that Tiler Peck will receive the 2026 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award, to be presented at the organization’s Season Opening Gala in Becket on June 20, 2026. A principal dancer with New York City Ballet, Peck is recognized in the article for the breadth of her practice as a performer, choreographer, curator, actress, and author, reflecting the award’s emphasis on artistic vision and achievement. The gala will celebrate Peck’s contribution to dance with live performances, including an appearance by Peck and Roman Mejia in Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, alongside a world premiere by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa for The School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Ballet Performance Ensemble. As a supporter of both Jacob’s Pillow and Tiler Peck, the Foundation is pleased to see this recognition of sustained artistic achievement in dance.
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The Foundation contributes to renowned institutions that showcase the breadth of arts and culture, including performance, exhibition and education.
The Blavatnik Archive is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to preserving and disseminating materials that contribute to the study of 20th-century Jewish and world history, with a special emphasis on World War I, World War II, and Soviet Russia.
