Press Release

Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block (TMA) proudly announces that the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award has been presented to The Stonewall Foundation Fund and the Small Family in recognition of their remarkable philanthropic leadership, lifelong dedication to the arts, and enduring impact on the Tucson community.

The TMA Lifetime Achievement Award, first presented in 2017, celebrates the career of an artist, patron, or community member who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to advancing TMA and the arts community of Southern Arizona. Awardees exemplify artistic excellence, philanthropic leadership, and dedication to arts education and advocacy.

Founded in 1960 by William and Susan Small, The Stonewall Foundation began with a mission to support local causes and create lasting community benefit. Named for Susan’s ancestral home on the Isle of Jersey, the Foundation’s inaugural year of giving totaled just $490. Over the past 65 years, the Foundation has grown into a cornerstone of charitable giving in Tucson, making transformational contributions to dozens of organizations—including TMA, which it has supported continuously since its founding.

A devoted advocate for art and architecture, William Small served on the TMA Board of Trustees and was appointed Board President from 1952 to 1953 at just 28 years old. In the 1970s, he played a central role on the museum’s building committee, helping bring to life the vision for TMA’s first purpose-built home. The museum opened its new building, designed by William Wilde and Andy Anderson, in May 1975 with the inaugural exhibition Tucson Collects.

Following William’s passing in 1994, the Foundation continued under the leadership Susan and their son Rick Small, and in 2021 it merged with the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona (CFSA) to become The Stonewall Foundation Fund. In 2022, Bill and Cathleen Small joined Rick as equal donor advisors, relocating to Tucson to carry the family’s multigenerational legacy of community stewardship and cultural investment forward.

This year’s honorees are longtime supporters of TMA’s Leadership Circle, the museum’s foremost philanthropic membership group, which plays a critical role in sustaining the museum’s permanent collection, exhibitions, and educational programs.

“TMA’s history is deeply intertwined with the generosity of the Small family and The Stonewall Foundation,” said Christopher Gordon, Interim CEO of TMA. “They have been at the heart of our growth for decades, and their unwavering commitment has shaped not only our institution but Tucson’s cultural identity as a whole.”

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Museum Hours:

Wednesday – Sunday

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

About the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block

As an institution built upon the original territories of the O’odham, the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block (TMA) acknowledges the Indigenous Sonoran Desert communities, past and present, who have stewarded this region throughout generations.

Founded in 1924, TMA connects art to life through meaningful and engaging experiences that inspire discovery, spark creativity, and promote cultural understanding. The museum spans an entire city block in historic downtown Tucson and includes five properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. TMA features exhibitions of Modern and Contemporary art, Latin American art from ancient to present, Indigenous arts, and Art of the American West. Its permanent collection includes more than 10,000 works spanning continents, centuries, and media.

TMA is home to an art education center, a research library, the Museum Store, and the acclaimed Café a la C’Art. It is a private 501(c)(3) charitable arts and education organization.

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