The AHL Foundation is a non-profit organization formed in 2003 by Sook Nyu Lee Kim to support Korean artists living in the United States and to promote exposure of their work in today’s highly competitive contemporary art world. In 2004, the foundation established an annual competition that is open to all artists of Korean ancestry living in the United States. AHL awards four monetary prizes each year and has been mounting bi-annual exhibitions to display the winning works. Since 2008, AHL has advanced to an annual exhibition, and this year, 2010, AHL has expanded its awards to honor five artists, thus broadening their scope of diversity and opportunity.
In addition to nurturing Korean art in the US, AHL Foundation is committed to educating the public and invigorating the Korean community, one of the largest ethnic groups in New York City, through art history courses offered in the Korean language, special lectures given by respected art professionals, artist studio visits, field trips to museums and galleries, and workshops for artists and general audiences.