For those who create
Scott Kahn, Big House, Homage to America, 2012
Fostering the conditions
for creative life
Founded by Scott Kahn and Frederick Kirwin, two artists who lived through decades of semi-obscurity before full recognition, the Kahn-Kirwin Foundation exists to give others what its founders rarely had — time, stability, and the quiet assurance that their work matters.
Three weeks at the Rome Beach House — time and space for uninterrupted creative work.
Rapid-response grants for artists and writers facing urgent financial need.
Archival research, publications, and scholarly programs preserving the founders' contributions.
© Scott Kahn, Diptych Double Portrait, 2010-2015, oil on linen
A painter and a poet
Scott Kahn and Frederick Kirwin share a story that is uncommon, yet deeply familiar: decades of commitment to their art. They have lived together for over fifty years and have helped each other along the journey, both in their personal lives and in their professions, Scott as a painter, and Frederick as a poet and playwright.
The Foundation they have built together is a direct response to their experiences as artists.
The Rome Beach House
Each summer, two artists and two writers are invited to spend three weeks at the Foundation's house on the Italian coast — time, space, and freedom from the pressures of daily life.
The residency program
Artist Relief Fund
Rapid-response financial assistance for artists and writers facing urgent need — housing, medical, studio loss — delivered with minimal bureaucracy and genuine understanding.
Artist Relief Fund
Research & Publications
Archival research, critical writing, and charitable publications dedicated to preserving and advancing the artistic and literary legacies of the Foundation's founders.
View publications
Help sustain
the creative life
Your generosity funds residencies, artist relief, and the preservation of significant artistic and literary work.
Support the FoundationScott Kahn, Berkshire Nightscape, oil on linen