The Tom Lea Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to documenting, presenting, teaching, and exhibiting the works of Tom Lea. Through its digital library, curricula, public programs, exhibitions, and publications, the Institute reaches audiences of all ages and encourages the exploration of regional art, history and culture.

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Founded in 2009 by Adair Margo, the Tom Lea Institute partners with institutions that house Tom Lea’s art and archives, including the El Paso Museum of Art, the C.L. Sonnichsen Special Collections at the University of Texas at El Paso, the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and the U.S. Army Center of Military History, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. In 2013, the Institute launched the Tom Lea Trail, the first artist trail in Texas, connecting the regional histories of eleven Texas cities through Tom Lea’s art and writing.

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MISSION STATEMENT: The Tom Lea Institute cultivates an appreciation of the art, character and legacy of Tom Lea. We are committed to educating students and the public about Tom Lea’s relevance to history, art and literature. Through curricula, public programs, exhibits and publications, the Institute shares Lea’s legacy to inspire present and future generations.