Weber: new tech wealth less rooted; arts institutions face shifting support

Jonathan Weber described a shift in philanthropic patterns that he said affects San Francisco's arts and cultural institutions.

He traced a tradition of older wealth underwriting major institutions like opera, museums and symphonies and argued that many of the new super-rich are less rooted in the city and give differently. Weber said some newer donors seek measurable returns or business-like metrics for grants, a change he tied to institutional strain and failures such as the San Francisco Art Institute's bankruptcy. He noted Laurene Powell Jobs' subsequent purchase of the campus as an example of new forms of philanthropic intervention.

Weber framed the shift as a change in civic attachment: older moguls often lived in the city and had sustained ties; newer donors may hold multiple residences and less direct civic commitment. The account combined historical anecdotes with reporting from interviews conducted for his book.