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Forty-one former residents of the Tom of Finland Foundation have written to its board, raising concerns about transparency and the interruption of the Artist-in-Residence program. They say the program ended without warning and that nearly all staff at TOM House were laid off in June. The foundation’s response and the program’s future are not established in the report.
Forty-one former residents of the Tom of Finland Foundation have sent an open letter to its board, questioning the nonprofit’s transparency and raising alarm over the interruption of its Artist-in-Residence program. The former residents say the program was discontinued without warning and that nearly all staff at the foundation’s Los Angeles headquarters were laid off in June, leaving the organization’s support for emerging queer artists uncertain.
The letter, released on Monday, September 28, says the group is concerned about “the lack of transparency and abrupt interruption of several programs by the current administration.” Its specific concerns include the residency program, which the signatories say was stopped without prior communication or warning. Those accounts are claims made by the former residents; the supplied report does not include a response from the foundation’s board.
The former residents also say that “nearly the entire staff” of TOM House was laid off in June. The letter asks the board to guarantee the foundation’s mission by continuing its work with new generations of queer and erotic artists, including through residencies, mentorship, exhibitions, research and archive access.
Carta Monir, a 2022 residency alum and coordinator of the letter, told Hyperallergic that the board was “refusing to answer any questions.” Monir said the letter was written because the group believed public scrutiny was needed to obtain transparency. The report does not detail which other programs were interrupted or provide the board’s account of the changes.
The Residency’s Role in Queer Art
The dispute concerns more than the preservation of a celebrated artist’s work. The foundation’s residency has been one way it supported living queer and erotic artists, giving them access to a historic house, a collection and a platform for their work. If the program has ended or remains suspended, artists may lose a direct connection to those resources; the former residents’ letter frames its continuation as part of the foundation’s broader mission.
The conflict also puts the nonprofit’s stewardship under scrutiny. Former participants are asking the board to explain program and staffing decisions, while the available report does not provide the board’s response. That leaves the status of the residency and the foundation’s future relationship with artists unclear.
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From Tom’s Legacy to Artist Residencies
The foundation was established in 1984 to preserve the art and legacy of Tom of Finland, the name used by Finnish artist Touko Laaksonen, who lived from 1920 to 1991. His erotic images of hypermasculine men—including sailors, lumberjacks and bikers—became widely recognized in queer culture.
Over time, the foundation expanded beyond preserving Tom’s work to support contemporary artists through exhibitions and acquisitions. In 2011, it began an artist residency at its headquarters, an Echo Park craftsman home known as TOM House. The former residents’ letter argues that continuing such support should remain part of the nonprofit’s work alongside preserving the archive and Tom’s legacy.
““the lack of transparency and abrupt interruption of several programs by the current administration””
— The 41 former artist residents, in their open letter to the foundation’s board
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Board Response and Program Status
The supplied report does not include a statement from the foundation’s board addressing the letter, the reported layoffs or the residency’s status. It is therefore not clear whether the program has been permanently discontinued, paused or changed, or whether any alternative support for artists is planned. The report also does not establish the number of employees laid off or describe the status of each program mentioned by the former residents.
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What the Board Must Address
The former residents are asking the board to guarantee continued support for artists through residencies, mentorship, exhibitions, research and access to the foundation’s archive. The next key development would be a response clarifying the staffing changes and the future of the residency. The supplied material does not give a timeline for a board reply or announce any decision on the program.
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Key Questions
Who issued the open letter?
Forty-one former artist residents of the Tom of Finland Foundation signed the letter. Carta Monir, a 2022 residency alum, coordinated it.
What are the former residents concerned about?
They cite a lack of transparency, the reported interruption of programs and the end of the Artist-in-Residence program without prior notice. They also say nearly all staff at TOM House were laid off in June.
Has the foundation responded to the letter?
The supplied report does not include a response from the foundation’s board. Monir told Hyperallergic that the board was “refusing to answer any questions.”
What do the former residents want the board to do?
They want the board to guarantee continued support for queer and erotic artists, including residencies, mentorship, exhibitions, research and access to the archive.
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