The Walker Receives Significant $7.5 Million Gift From Long-Time Supporter John Gabbert and his Room & Board Foundation
The Walker Art Center today announced a significant gift of $7.5 million from philanthropist and long-time supporter John Gabbert. The gift, funded personally by Gabbert and his Room & Board Foundation, will establish the first ever endowed exhibition fund at the Walker, supporting two exhibitions per year at the institution. In honor of Gabbert’s generosity, the endowment will be named the John Gabbert and the Room & Board Foundation Exhibition Fund. The first two presentations to benefit from this incredible gift are Show & Tell: An Exhibition for Kids, currently on view, and the Walker’s presentation of the retrospective Suzanne Jackson: What Is Love, opening on May 14.
Gabbert grew up in Minnesota and in his family’s traditional furniture business. In 1980, at the age of 33, he founded Room & Board, a Minneapolis-based retail business focused on modern, timeless designs, made by American craftspeople. Today, Room & Board is an 100% employee-owned retailer with more than 90% of its products made in the United States. Gabbert has also been a thoughtful philanthropist, giving actively to organizations dedicated to the environment, education, the arts, and social justice causes. Gabbert and his family have supported the Walker for more than 30 years, with both monetary gifts and works of art, including a range of works by Martin Puryear.
“We are immensely grateful to John Gabbert for his many years of support and for this visionary gift. John has long believed in our mission and vision and embodies the best of generosity, commitment, and innovative thinking,” said Mary Ceruti, the Walker’s Executive Director. “With the John Gabbert and the Room & Board Foundation Exhibition Fund, the Walker will be able to continue to develop and present ambitious exhibitions that reflect the groundbreaking work of artists and engage with evolving interests of our communities. We look forward to the many exhibitions this Fund will help us create.”
“While many museums explore the world of the past—which is an important endeavor—I have been compelled by the way the Walker looks to the future for inspiration,” said Gabbert. “As a forward-thinking institution, the Walker provides a unique view of our world through the lens of art and design. I am delighted to support their creative program for the benefit of audiences in Minneapolis and across the country.”
In further recognition of this gift, the Walker will extend a range of benefits to Room & Board staff, including free admission, discounted family-level memberships, and an annual Room & Board Appreciation Day for staff and their families. This approach recognizes Room & Board’s longstanding commitments to its staff and its people-first values.
About John Gabbert
At the age of 26, John Gabbert (b. 1946, St. Louis Park, Minnesota) became president of Gabbert Furniture, the business his family created. In 1980, feeling a shift in the furniture industry, he founded Room & Board in Minneapolis, establishing a new business model that placed the company at the forefront of design and manufacturing innovation. Since its founding, Room & Board has focused on modern, timeless designs that are built to last, made by American craftspeople at the best possible value. Today, the company is recognized as one of the most respected furniture retailers, with 21 stores across the country as well as an omni-channel sales operation. A Certified B Corporation, Room & Board has maintained consistent commitments to sustainability and its community. In April 2024, Room & Board announced that it implemented an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) to provide its 1,100 full-time and part-time employees a stake in the business. The ESOP bought out the company’s existing investors, including Gabbert as majority shareholder.
Gabbert has also pursued collecting, focusing on modern and contemporary art, and philanthropy, emphasizing education, the arts, environmental causes, and other social causes. His Room & Board Foundation operates separately from Room & Board’s philanthropic pursuits as a company, which emphasize sustainability efforts. He has supported a range of cultural organizations and sits on the Board of the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden.
About the Walker Art Center
The Walker Art Center is a renowned multidisciplinary arts institution that presents, collects, and supports the creation of groundbreaking work across the visual and performing arts, moving image, and design. Guided by the belief that art has the power to bring joy and solace and the ability to unite people through dialogue and shared experiences, the Walker engages communities through a dynamic array of exhibitions, performances, events, and initiatives. Its multiacre campus includes 65,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, the state-of-the-art McGuire Theater and Walker Cinema, and ample green space that connects with the adjoining Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. The Garden, a partnership with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, is one of the first urban sculpture parks of its kind in the United States and home to the beloved Twin Cities landmark Spoonbridge and Cherry by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Recognized for its ambitious program and growing collection of more than 16,000 works, the Walker embraces emerging art forms and amplifies the work of artists from the Twin Cities and from across the country and the globe. Its broad spectrum of offerings makes it a lively and welcoming hub for artistic expression, creative innovation, and community connection.