The Foundation was born from the vision and dedication of James P. Hayes, a lifelong champion of Iowa’s creative and cultural landscape. A lawyer and civic leader, Jim has spent his career bridging art, education, and community. He founded and created the Grant Wood program and the Grant Wood Art Colony at the University of Iowa—believing deeply that creativity is not a luxury, but a shared inheritance that shapes how we live, learn, and belong.

Guided by that conviction, the James P. Hayes Foundation maintains and preserves Grant Wood’s permanently installed living and working spaces and associated libraries and archives of his Iowa City home. The Foundation provides a wider understanding of Wood’s artistic legacy by providing access to these spaces and resources and by developing scholarly and educational programs that support and promote the arts.

The James P. Hayes Foundation is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.