The William A. Fagaly Memorial Fund for Social Impact

William “Bill” Fagaly was a groundbreaking scholar and curator who contributed substantially to the understanding of Southern Outsider art over the course of his distinguished 50-year career at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Bill brought attention to important Outsider artists like David Butler and Sister Gertrude Morgan, whom he knew personally and whose work he appreciated and collected. In 2006, Bill helped found Prospect New Orleans, a citywide triennial exhibition of international contemporary art. Prospect.1 debuted in 2008, inviting the art world to a beleaguered New Orleans broken by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Since then, Prospect New Orleans has presented the work of more than three hundred artists from around the globe, many underrepresented and identifying as BIPOC, selected by some of America’s most talented curators. For over a decade, Prospect has invited artists to be inspired by New Orleans and to reflect the intricate histories of this tricentennial port City in their work.

Bill passed away unexpectedly in May 2021 and, in his planning, generously endowed Prospect with the proceeds from the sale of significant artworks from his collection. In Bill’s memory, Prospect has established The William A. Fagaly Memorial Fund for Social Impact.  This purpose-driven Fund honors Bill’s lifelong devotion to New Orleans, his appreciation of its rich cultural diversity and his strong commitment to racial equity, social justice and the environment. Through community-focused contributions, the Fund will promote the impact-driven work of New Orleans arts organizations and next-generation creative entrepreneurs in these areas.