Mary founded United Artists with the ideal that artists need
to forge their own future. As one of the founders of the Academy
of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, she proclaimed the importance
of film as a cultural force. Throughout her life, Mary Pickford
was a philanthropist and fundraiser. One of her central goals
was helping those in need who were close to home. In 1958,
the Mary Pickford Foundation was formed to help those less
fortunate and to encourage others to help themselves.
Over the past forty-five years the Mary Pickford Foundation
has provided scholarships and assistance to tens of thousands
of deserving individuals and organizations.
In 2003, the Foundation was extremely proud to announce the
opening of the Mary Pickford Institute for Film Education
(MPI). The Institute is the newest initiative of the Mary
Pickford Foundation, and represents our commitment to the
expansion of the Foundation’s goals to educate and instruct
young people who might not otherwise have the chance, about
filmmaking and film history. Giving a voice in the media to
persons currently outside the communications industry is key
to building a brighter world in which every voice is heard.
Mary Pickford understood this when she created her Foundation.
The Institute was created to serve the public and to increase
awareness of Mary Pickford’s legacy of creativity and
charity. Her belief in artistic independence and in the need
to provide opportunities for talent, regardless of gender
or ethnicity, is an important part of that legacy. So was
her generosity, expressed in both time and money, when it
came to “taking care of our own.”
MPI seeks partnerships with others in our industry who share
these ideals and who are motivated to put them into action.
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