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Arts & Culture
January 26, 2026
Turn it Out with Tiler Peck & Friends Returns to Sadler’s Wells Theatre

With the support of Lady Emily Blavatnik on behalf of the Blavatnik Family Foundation, Turn It Out with Tiler Peck & Friends returns to Sadler’s Wells in March 2026. Curated by New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Tiler Peck, the programme brings together leading artists from across ballet and contemporary dance in a mixed bill that explores the range and possibilities of the form. The performances reflect a shared commitment to artistic excellence and access to outstanding live performance.

Arts & Culture
January 20, 2026
Winston Churchill at the Wallace Collection

The Wallace Collection in London will present Winston Churchill: The Painter, a major retrospective of more than 50 works by Sir Winston Churchill—the first substantial UK exhibition of his paintings since his death—offering audiences a fresh perspective on the former Prime Minister’s lifelong engagement with art and creativity alongside his public service. Spanning his earliest efforts during World War I through to his vibrant landscapes and interiors from the mid-20th century, the show brings together loans from private collections and Chartwell, Churchill’s longtime home, allowing visitors to see a more personal and expressive side of a figure known for leadership in times of crisis. The exhibition has been made possible by the Blavatnik Family Foundation, among other donors and supporters.

Arts & Culture
January 13, 2026
Ken Burns Kicks Off Ringling College Speaker Series, Previews Upcoming Documentaries

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns recently kicked off the Ringling College of Art and Design’s TOWN HALL Speaker Series in Sarasota, sharing insights into several upcoming projects, including work on LBJ and the Great Society, Emancipation to Exodus, and a history of the CIA. Burns emphasized the power of storytelling to deepen public understanding of history, a mission that aligns with the Better Angels Society, a nonprofit that supports excellence in American history documentaries and civic engagement, including work associated with Burns. The Blavatnik Family Foundation is proud to support Ken Burns and the Better Angels Society in its efforts to broaden access to meaningful historical narratives that educate and connect audiences across generations.

Arts & Culture
January 8, 2026
The Spiritual Yearnings of David Bowie

The Spectator reviews a wave of recent books published a decade after David Bowie’s death, examining how his work continues to be reinterpreted through religion, spirituality and cultural history. The article considers Bowie’s lifelong engagement with belief and meaning, alongside differing critical approaches to his later career. It also reflects on the lasting impact of the V&A’s exhibition David Bowie Is…, which helped reshape public and scholarly understanding of his legacy. In tracing Bowie’s posthumous afterlife, the piece highlights the David Bowie Archive, now open to the public at the V&A East Storehouse. Comprising more than 90,000 items, the Archive was established with major support from the Blavatnik Family Foundation and Warner Music Group. Together, the books, exhibition and archive point to Bowie’s continuing presence in the cultural imagination.

Arts & Culture
December 28, 2025
Ken Burns: ‘I’m embarrassed that, as a country, we don’t grasp our history’

The Financial Times' Andrew Jack sits down with Ken Burns to talk about the filmmaker's six-part documentary series, The American Revolution, which revisits the nation’s founding with rigor, nuance, and a commitment to historical accuracy, challenging simplified narratives in favor of a more complex and inclusive account. Drawing on leading historians, the series explores divisions within colonial society, the experiences of Indigenous peoples and enslaved individuals, and the global significance of the revolution, underscoring Burns’s belief that “it’s complicated.” The Foundation is proud to have supported this documentary.

Arts & Culture
December 18, 2025
PBS Enters Nielsen’s Streaming Top 10 for First Time as Ken Burns’ ‘The American Revolution’ Logs 565 Million Minutes

For the first time ever, PBS made its way into Nielsen’s top 10 streaming list, thanks to Ken Burns’ “The American Revolution” documentary series. As “The American Revolution” aired nightly on PBS from Nov. 16 to Nov. 21, the six-part documentary series logged 565 million minutes during the week of Nov. 17 across PBS and Prime Video, boosting the show to land as the No. 10 most-watched streaming acquired title.

Arts & Culture
December 16, 2025
The 12 Biggest Museum Moments of 2025

Artnet has named the opening of V&A East one of the biggest museum moments of 2025, spotlighting its bold new approach to making vast collections accessible to the public. The V&A East Storehouse allows visitors to freely explore hundreds of thousands of objects, books, and archives, redefining how museums display and activate their holdings. A centerpiece of the new complex is the Blavatnik Family Foundation-supported David Bowie Centre—a dazzling collection of more than 90,000 items, from original costumes and handwritten notes to sketches and instruments, offering unprecedented insight into the creative life of an iconic artist. Opened in September, the Centre has quickly become a major cultural draw within this groundbreaking museum complex.

Arts & Culture
December 12, 2025
My Favourite Thing: The Secret Treasures of the V&A East Storehouse

The Financial Times takes readers inside the V&A East Storehouse, where curators, artists, and public figures wander through the vast collection and select their favorite hidden gems, ranging from unexpected design treasures to personal objects rarely seen by the public. Their picks offer a behind-the-scenes look at how this model is changing the way people interact with a museum's holdings. The article also highlights the David Bowie Archive, an extraordinary collection of more than 90,000 items from the artist's life, acquired through the David Bowie Estate with major support from the Blavatnik Family Foundation and Warner Music Group.

Arts & Culture
December 10, 2025
The Wallace Collection Presents “Winston Churchill: The Painter”

In 2026, the Wallace Collection will bring fresh perspectives to the creativity of Sir Winston Churchill. Winston Churchill: The Painter, is a ticketed exhibition on view from 23 May – 29 November 2026. Universally renowned as an inspirational statesman, writer, orator and the man who led Britain to victory in the Second World War (1939-45), what is arguably less well known about Winston Churchill (1874-1965), was that he was also an enthusiastic amateur painter. In this major retrospective and first exhibition of Churchill’s creative oeuvre in the UK since his death, the Wallace Collection will bring together more than 50 paintings that represent the very best of the former Prime Minister’s output. The Wallace Collection is grateful for the support of the Churchill family and Churchill Heritage Ltd in the development of this exhibition. The exhibition has been made possible by the generosity of the Blavatnik Family Foundation and of other supporters.

Arts & Culture
December 4, 2025
Alvin Ailey Celebrates At Opening Night Gala Featuring Honorary Chair And Honored Guest Ciara

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will continue its 2025–26 New York City Center season following the company’s Opening Night Gala, which launched a new chapter under Artistic Director Alicia Graf Mack. The gala honored Daria L. Wallach, chair of the AILEY Board of Trustees, for her leadership and support of the organization. Two-time Oscar nominee Colman Domingo served as Honorary Chair, and multi-platinum, GRAMMY-winning artist Ciara appeared as Honored Guest, introducing the finale of Alvin Ailey’s Revelations with live choir. Guests included Council Member Gale A. Brewer, Brandon Blackwood, Legendary Damon, Jillian Hervey, George Faison, Dr. Holly Frazier, Jasmine Guy, Sunny Hostin, LaChanze, Bianca Lawson, Phylicia Rashad, Nia Sioux, and Lorraine Toussaint. Gala co-chairs were Jody and John Arnhold, Emily and Len Blavatnik, Jack Pitts, Eric J. Wallach, Joan and Sandy Weill, and Pamela D. Zilly and John H. Schaefer, with vice chairs Anthony S. Kendall and Anthony A. Lewis. The event raised more than $2.7 million to support new works, scholarships for The Ailey School, and education programs.

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

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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.

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