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Arts & Culture

Art & Cultural Institutions

The Blavatnik Wing at the National Portrait Gallery, London. Photo by Jim Stephenson

CELEBRATING THE ARTS, CREATIVITY, AND CULTURE

The Foundation supports world-class arts and cultural institutions, and programs that preserve and promote the beauty and creativity of humankind.

The Foundation contributes to some of the world’s greatest institutions, showcasing the breadth of arts and culture including performance, exhibition and education.

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The Courtauld at Somerset House

Dr Nicholas Cullinan

Director

National Portrait Gallery

"We are incredibly grateful to Sir Leonard and Lady Blavatnik and the Blavatnik Family Foundation for this historic and transformative gift, which has provided vital support for our Inspiring People project and initiates the next stage of our future development in terms of profile and programme.”

The foundation has

Gifted over

$175

Million in support

Impacted

8

Countries

Supported

180

Arts and cultural institutions

Beneficiaries

Click the boxes below for more detail.

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The Blavatnik Fine Rooms at The Courtauld

The Courtauld Institute of Art

In 2020, the Foundation supported a major transformation of The Courtauld, one of the world’s leading centers for the study of art history, research, and conservation, restoring its grandeur and creating state-of-the-art facilities. In recognition of the Foundation’s £10 million gift, a suite of six galleries showcasing some of the greatest works in The Courtauld’s collection, ranging from the Renaissance to the 18th Century, was renamed the Blavatnik Fine Rooms.

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The Princess of Wales and Dr. Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the National Portrait Gallery @ David Perry

National Portrait Gallery

In 2022, the Foundation provided £10 million to support the most extensive redevelopment of the National Portrait Gallery since 1896. As part of the redevelopment, which opened in 2023, the first floor of the museum was renamed the Blavatnik Wing. Other Foundation support has included sponsorship of significant exhibitions and gala events.

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Photo by Rory Mulvey

Royal Academy of Arts

For over 250 years, the Royal Academy has championed art and artists and has been a leading global education centre. In 2018, the Foundation helped support the redevelopment of the entire building, and the main reception room was renamed the Blavatnik Salon. The Foundation has separately supported several exhibitions of international importance.

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Tate

www.tate.org.uk

Tate

In 2017, the Foundation provided over £50 million for the expansion of the Tate Modern, Britain’s national gallery of international modern art. The gift is the largest donation by any contributor in Tate’s history and the Blavatnik Building was named in recognition of the gift. The Foundation has also sponsored exhibitions of major artists such as Hockney, Rothko, Malevich, and Kandinsky.

More Information
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Blavatnik Hall. Photo by Hufton+Crow

V&A

In 2016, the Foundation helped to fund the entrance hall of the Museum’s new wing. The Blavatnik Hall is named in honour of the £5 million gift. In 2023, the Foundation and Warner Music Group jointly provided £10 million to create The David Bowie Centre for the Study of Performing Arts at V&A East and secured 80,000 items from the David Bowie Archive for the nation and the public. In addition, the Foundation has regularly supported exhibitions at the Museum over the years.

More Information
c4355b0b4e69d88d1e4f06fe98ea3d9c

The Blavatnik Fine Rooms at The Courtauld

The Courtauld Institute of Art

In 2020, the Foundation supported a major transformation of The Courtauld, one of the world’s leading centers for the study of art history, research, and conservation, restoring its grandeur and creating state-of-the-art facilities. In recognition of the Foundation’s £10 million gift, a suite of six galleries showcasing some of the greatest works in The Courtauld’s collection, ranging from the Renaissance to the 18th Century, was renamed the Blavatnik Fine Rooms.

More Information
03ab2d505847ac9c081237e00d545348

The Princess of Wales and Dr. Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the National Portrait Gallery @ David Perry

National Portrait Gallery

In 2022, the Foundation provided £10 million to support the most extensive redevelopment of the National Portrait Gallery since 1896. As part of the redevelopment, which opened in 2023, the first floor of the museum was renamed the Blavatnik Wing. Other Foundation support has included sponsorship of significant exhibitions and gala events.

More Information
e7ef03b890b794011105a670d78d5c82

Photo by Rory Mulvey

Royal Academy of Arts

For over 250 years, the Royal Academy has championed art and artists and has been a leading global education centre. In 2018, the Foundation helped support the redevelopment of the entire building, and the main reception room was renamed the Blavatnik Salon. The Foundation has separately supported several exhibitions of international importance.

More Information
Tate

www.tate.org.uk

Tate

In 2017, the Foundation provided over £50 million for the expansion of the Tate Modern, Britain’s national gallery of international modern art. The gift is the largest donation by any contributor in Tate’s history and the Blavatnik Building was named in recognition of the gift. The Foundation has also sponsored exhibitions of major artists such as Hockney, Rothko, Malevich, and Kandinsky.

More Information
c6d30fd11308d523dc756db65893c79b

Blavatnik Hall. Photo by Hufton+Crow

V&A

In 2016, the Foundation helped to fund the entrance hall of the Museum’s new wing. The Blavatnik Hall is named in honour of the £5 million gift. In 2023, the Foundation and Warner Music Group jointly provided £10 million to create The David Bowie Centre for the Study of Performing Arts at V&A East and secured 80,000 items from the David Bowie Archive for the nation and the public. In addition, the Foundation has regularly supported exhibitions at the Museum over the years.

More Information

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Discover the cutting-edge science we fund

Providing many of the world's best researchers, scientists, and universities with support, and funding to discover breakthroughs that solve humankind's greatest challenges.

See how we support great cultural institutions around the world

The Foundation contributes to renowned institutions that showcase the breadth of arts and culture, including performance, exhibition and education.

Visit the Blavatnik Archive

The Blavatnik Archive is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to preserving and disseminating materials that contribute to the study of 20th-century Jewish and world history, with a special emphasis on World War I, World War II, and Soviet Russia.