Giving Back is Dead: Keith Rivers

Keith Rivers was the second guest to tackle the topic of philanthropy in the arts at the Giving Back is Dead x Offscreen Paris conversation series, this time from the perspective of a collector. Keith is a former NFL linebacker who was drafted ninth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. Following his retirement from the NFL in 2015 he worked in commercial real estate while continuing to develop his passion for art and art patronage. He is currently a trustee for several museums including the Hirshhorn and Walker Art Center. Keith spoke about the correlation between his own collecting strategies and the institutions he chooses to support. Having limited resources but always making informed and timely acquisitions allows both these institutions and Keith to continually "punch above their weight class". He shared intimate moments of his journey and how his interest in art intensified after spending time in Paris and watching "The Art of the Steal." After seeing the movie, he saw the impact and influence one person can have and gave him a long term dream of trying to "be like Barnes".