Reports by the Jenrette Foundation
Forging a future for historic preservation, historic landscapes, and the decorative arts
In 2024, following the adoption of its new strategic plan, the Jenrette Foundation launched a multi-year initiative to deepen knowledge in its core mission areas and strengthen the Foundation’s impact as a national convener. The plan called for a clearer understanding of the fields in which the Foundation works and for identifying opportunities where its grantmaking, programming, and partnerships could have the greatest effect. The Jenrette Foundation has since created a series of reports examining the state of key disciplines central to its mission, beginning with The State of American Decorative Arts—focused on the work of curators and collecting institutions—and The State of Historic Preservation Education, both in 2025. These will be followed by The State of Historic and Cultural Landscapes in 2026 and The State of Historic Building Trades and Craft Training in 2027.
Each report is informed by a structured process. Subject-matter experts were invited to serve on an advisory committee and convened to share case studies, field observations, and perspectives on future needs. Their insights, combined with survey data gathered during and after the convening, shaped the analysis and recommendations that follow. The resulting reports guide the Foundation’s strategic decisions and are made publicly available to support colleagues, practitioners, and all who are committed to advancing learning and leadership in these fields.
The State of American Historic and Cultural Landscapes
Jenrette Foundation to release landmark report on the state of American historic and cultural landscapes on November 13, 2026
“Landscapes are at the center of public debate,” says Jenrette Foundation President Benjamin Prosky, “ and when landscapes are excluded or destroyed, their power to inspire is diminished if not lost. When landscapes are misunderstood, the lessons they hold are obscured or forgotten. The Jenrette Foundation recognizes this is time for testing assumptions to make sure our frameworks are adequate to the realities we face.” Based, in part, on a June 2026 convening of the Advisory Committee on Historic and Cultural Landscapes, the report argues that the future of landscape preservation depends on moving beyond the goal of maintaining places in a single historical condition. Instead, it calls for a more adaptive, interdisciplinary approach that sustains the cultural, historical, ecological, and social significance of landscapes as they evolve. It also emphasizes the importance of recognizing intangible heritage, including oral histories, traditional practices, collective memory, and community knowledge, alongside physical features and archival evidence.
We anticipate releasing this report on November 13, 2026, in conjunction with Historic New England’s annual summit. Reach out if you’d like to receive a special email at that time.
Special thanks to the members of our Advisory Committee on Historic and Cultural Landscapes:
Charles A. Birnbaum, President and CEO, The Cultural Landscape Foundation and Lecturer in Landscape Architecture, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Kofi Boone, Joseph D. Moore Distinguished Professor of Landscape Architecture and Environment, North Carolina State University
Cari Goetcheus, Professor in the College of Environment + Design, University of Georgia
Gary Hilderbrand, Peter Louis Hornbeck Professor in Practice of Landscape Architecture and Chair of the, Department of Landscape Architecture, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Jon Marcoux, Director, Research Labs of Archaeology, University of North Carolina
Robert W. Melnick, Professor Emeritus and Former Dean, School of Architecture and Allied Arts, University of Oregon
Elizabeth K. Meyer, Merrill D. Peterson Professor, Landscape Architecture; Faculty Director, UVA/Morven, Sustainability Lab, University of Virginia
Suzanne Turner, Professor Emeritus, School of Landscape Architecture, Louisiana State University
Rosetta S. Elkin, Professor of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn
The State of Historic Preservation Education
New Jenrette Foundation report on historic preservation education calls for rebranding, resilience, and workforce growth.
“Preservation is at a critical juncture,” said Benjamin Prosky, President of the Jenrette Foundation. “The way we teach and engage the next generation today will determine whether the field thrives—or stagnates. This is about building shared futures, not just saving old structures.” In 2025, the Jenrette Foundation published “The State of Historic Preservation Education in America,” a landmark report that calls for a fundamental reset in how America understands, teaches, and practices historic preservation. Working with its Historic Preservation Education Advisory Committee and based, in part on a June 2025 convening in Washington, D.C., the Jenrette Foundation advanced five recommendations for preservation and its academy:
Rebrand preservation to emphasize cultural storytelling, sustainability, and justice over elitism and nostalgia.
Integrate hands-on learning through internships, trades education, and community-based fieldwork.
Bridge academia and practice with mentorships, applied research, and policy engagement.
Frame preservation as an economic engine tied to workforce development, cultural tourism, and neighborhood revitalization.
Elevate collections and access by using digital platforms, architectural fragments, and public storytelling.
Special thanks to our Historic Preservation Advisory Committee
Douglas Appler, Ph.D. University of Kentucky; Laurel Bartlett, Ph.D. Clemson University; Benjamin Ibarra-Sevilla University of Texas; Paul Kapp University of Notre Dame; Amalia Leifeste University of Oregon; Randall Mason, Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania; Jorge Otero-Pailos, Ph.D. Columbia University; Andrea Smith, Ph.D. University of Mary Washington; Anne Sullivan, FAIA Art Institute of Chicago; Michael Tomlan, Ph.D. Cornell University; Heather Veneziano Tulane University; and Vicki Weiner Pratt Institute.
Jenrette Foundation staff lead: Will Hamilton, Director of Historic Preservation
Read more about our June 2025 convening in Washington, D.C.
Questions? connect@jenrette.org
The State of American Decorative Arts
Jenrette Foundation report on the state of American decorative arts calls for inclusion and investment
“This is a moment of reckoning and reinvention,” said Benjamin Prosky, President of the Jenrette Foundation. “The field of decorative arts is expanding beyond traditional definitions and asking deeper questions about inclusion, stewardship, and public relevance.” In 2025, the Jenrette Foundation published “The State of American Decorative Arts,” a landmark report that highlights a sector in flux—grappling with financial strain, evolving institutional priorities, and the need for greater diversity, accessibility, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Working with its Decorative Arts Advisory Committee and based, in part on a January 2025 convening in New York City, the Jenrette Foundation advanced five recommendations for the decorative arts:
Fund exhibitions and publications that reflect diverse voices and histories.
Expand public access through digitization and open collections.
Support professional development to build a stronger pipeline of curators and scholars.
Embrace interdisciplinary research that connects decorative arts to broader cultural and historical narratives.
Special thanks to our Decorative Arts Advisory Committee
Daniel Ackermann, Bayou Bend/MFA Houston; David Barquist, Philadelphia Museum of Art; Dennis Carr, The Huntington; Ruthie Dibble, Peabody Essex Museum; Nonnie Frelinghuysen, American Wing, Metropolitan Museum of Art; John Stuart Gordon, Yale University Art Gallery; Erica Lome, Historic New England; Kayli Rideout, The Morse Museum; Susan Weber, Bard Graduate Center.
Jenrette Foundation staff lead: Grant Quertermous, Curator & Director of Collections
Read more about our January 2025 convening in New York City
Questions? connect@jenrette.org
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Join us in our work to study the history of American classical design. Participate in upcoming educational programs and events and stay connected to preservation, craft, architectural conservation, and historic landscapes.