1973 Invitation Card – Darthea Speyer Gallery

Preserving the Past. Inspiring the Future.

The Beauford Delaney Project is the Wells International Foundation’s (WIF’s) long-term initiative to protect, celebrate, and expand the artistic legacy of Beauford Delaney (1901–1979), one of the twentieth century’s most remarkable yet under recognized artists.

Inspired by our landmark 2016 Paris exhibition, Beauford Delaney: Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color, the project has evolved into an international effort that combines scholarship, education, digital humanities, and creative practice to ensure that Delaney’s life and work continue to inspire new generations.

2016 Beauford Delaney: Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color exhibition – Salle des Conférences at Columbia Global Centers Paris

Rather than treating Delaney’s legacy as a relic to be conserved, The Beauford Delaney Project invites people to engage with it—to study it, question it, create from it, and discover its continuing relevance to contemporary life.

Why This Project Matters

The Beauford Delaney Project exemplifies WIF’s conviction that preserving cultural heritage and investing in future generations are inseparable acts.

By connecting scholarship, education, creative practice, and technology, the project transforms Delaney’s legacy into a living resource for learning, dialogue, and innovation.

The Beauford Delaney Project brings together several complementary initiatives that preserve Delaney’s legacy while creating new opportunities for learning, scholarship, and artistic expression.

Research & Scholarship

WIF believes that keeping Beauford Delaney’s legacy alive is only the beginning. Through research, scholarship, and interdisciplinary creative practice, The Beauford Delaney Project ensures that Delaney’s work continues to generate new understanding, new artistic expression, and new opportunities for learning across generations.

The project reflects WIF’s belief that the arts are powerful catalysts for education, cross-cultural understanding, and personal transformation. By advancing research and scholarship on Delaney’s life, work, and legacy, the project deepens understanding of his contributions to art and culture and creates new opportunities for future generations of scholars to extend that knowledge.

Education

Educational programs introduce students, teachers, and lifelong learners to Delaney’s extraordinary life and work through lectures, workshops, study abroad experiences, and interdisciplinary learning opportunities that connect art with history, culture, and contemporary issues.

By encouraging curiosity and critical thinking, these activities equip participants to carry what they discover into their own studies, creative pursuits, and communities.

Contemporary Creations

Can Fire in the Park • Text and illustration by Derek Tirado • Image courtesy of Teens of Color Abroad
All rights reserved — reproduction or alteration without prior written consent is strictly prohibited.

Resonance, the project’s newest initiative, explores how Delaney’s work serves to inspire contemporary creators.

Through Art & Writing in Conversation, Art & Sound in Conversation, and future interdisciplinary collaborations, participants respond to Delaney’s story and work from the perspective of their own interests and disciplines, creating original works that become part of a growing digital archive.

Resonance demonstrates that art is not static—it is a living force that continues to shape how people understand themselves, one another, and the world they share.

Digital Humanities & Technology

Banner for The Beauford Delaney Project Digital Hub

The Beauford Delaney Project uses digital tools and emerging technologies to preserve, interpret, and expand access to Delaney’s life and work. Through the development of a digital hub, digital storytelling, and innovative approaches to research and public engagement, the project creates new ways for audiences to encounter his legacy.

As these technologies evolve, WIF is exploring their potential to support interdisciplinary scholarship, education, and creative expression while opening new pathways for discovery and participation.

The Beauford Delaney Project is building more than an archive.

It is cultivating an international community of artists, scholars, educators, students, and creative thinkers who believe that great works of art continue to generate new knowledge, new creativity, and new human connection.

As this community grows, so too does our understanding of Beauford Delaney—not only as an extraordinary painter, but also as an enduring source of inspiration whose legacy continues to resonate across disciplines, cultures, and generations.

The Beauford Delaney Project Digital Hub is the living home of this work.

There you can:

• Explore Resonance, a growing collection of original creative responses—including music and writing—inspired by Delaney’s life and art.
• Learn about current research, collaborations, and educational initiatives.
• Follow the project’s continuing evolution as new voices join the conversation.

→ Visit The Beauford Delaney Project Digital Hub