The Julia Rausing Trust has pledged £150 million to fund a new public wing at The National Gallery in London.
It is the single largest donation ever pledged by The Julia Rausing Trust, named in memory of the British philanthropist, Julia Rausing, and her long association with the Gallery.
It is also the largest ever single cash donation given to a museum or gallery anywhere in the world.
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Project Domani
The National Gallery has announced Project Domani, a new expansion project designed to reaffirm its founding principal to make great art accessible to the public. A new gallery wing will be created on the last remaining part of the National Gallery campus: St Vincent House, which was acquired 30 years ago and is currently occupied by a hotel and office complex.
The Gallery plans to develop its historic collection to include great modern paintings of the 20th and 21st centuries and will mark the beginning of a fundamental new collaboration with Tate.
The project will also enhance the Gallery’s presence to the north of Trafalgar Square.
The project also presents an opportunity to enhance the Gallery’s presence and urban significance to the north of Trafalgar Square, further embedding the Gallery as a cornerstone within London’s Arts Quarter.
Julia Rausing Trust and the National Gallery
The Julia Rausing Trust has a long association with the National Gallery. It recently funded a complete refurbishment of its façade, a new research centre and artist studio. In addition in 2020 it funded the refurbishment of Room 32, the Gallery’s largest and most visited room. In recognition of this support the room has since been renamed The Julia and Hans Rausing Room.
Sir Hans Rausing, Founder Trustee said:
“My beloved wife Julia was a passionate supporter of the National Gallery and its role in making great art accessible to all. She would have wholeheartedly embraced the vision and ambition behind this project, recognising its potential to transform the understanding and appreciation of art, and to reinforce the Gallery’s role on the world stage. This gift is given in her memory, so that others may discover the same beauty and inspiration in art that meant so much to her.”
Simon Fourmy, Chief Executive of the Julia Rausing Trust said:
“This historic pledge represents the largest gift ever made by the Trust and stands among the most significant philanthropic contributions in UK history. This gift serves as a powerful testament to the extraordinary generosity of Sir Hans Rausing and is of a magnitude that we are unlikely to witness again from the Trust”.
Director of the National Gallery, Sir Gabriele Finaldi, added:
“The Julia Rausing Trust’s pledge is an astounding expression of confidence in the National Gallery’s plans for the future and we are profoundly grateful. Julia Rausing loved the Gallery very deeply and I am very pleased that we, the UK public and art lovers from everywhere, will be benefitting from the Trust’s commitment well into the future.”
Why fund this project?
Simon Fourmy explained that the decision to back this particular project of the National Gallery rested on three “compelling benefits”:
- the creation of a new, freely accessible gallery space in the centre of London that will allow the public to experience the full breadth of European painting;
- the importance of investing in the UK’s leading cultural institutions to sustain the Gallery’s global leadership in the creative industries;
- and the opportunity to honour Julia Rausing with a legacy gift of rare significance to an institution that was close to her heart.
He added:
“As our major cultural institutions face growing funding pressures, we hope this generous act inspires others to make bold, transformative contributions to sustain the UK’s cultural life.”
The National Gallery
Founded by Parliament in 1824, the National Gallery houses the nation’s collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the late 13th to the early 20th century.
The collection includes works by Artemisia Gentileschi, Bellini, Cezanne, Degas, Leonardo, Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Renoir, Rubens, Titian, Turner, Van Dyck, Van Gogh and Velázquez.
Its key objectives are to care for and enhance the collection and provide the best possible access to visitors. Admission is free.
Feature image: The National Gallery from outside. Copyright: The National Gallery
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.