“In terms of priorities art has become a lesser good cause than it was 20 or 30 years ago”
Lord Rothschild at Waddesdon Manor - Image courtesy of The Times
The arts have historically relied on patronage which became philanthropy in the 19th century and its gift lay in the hands of the landed wealthy.
A trip around pretty much any National Trust grand house from Powis Castle to Seaton Delaval to Polesden Lacey reveals the accumulation of portraits, bespoke furniture and soft furnishings which speak of highly valued commissions from the past.
Waddesdon Manor, completed in 1883, owned now by the National Trust, and managed by the Rothschild Foundation, is one of the grandest and most richly endowed of all - Lord Jacob Rothschild above is the current family custodian.
His quote above reflects his concern that high-end philanthropists like his family are “not as interested in art as they once were”. He speaks with authority as his family donate £66 million annually to Jewish causes, education and to art.
His point is that the big (new) money is now moving to green and social causes which are seen as more urgent.
It’s difficult to argue with this logic, summed up by fund manager Chris Hohn, who donates £2.1 milion per day to to children, overseas aid and climate change. “If I put you at a table with five starving children and you have a big plate of food, do I need to explain to you why you need to share it?
There’s also another problem with non-government support for the arts and institutions - who is now an acceptable donor? Oil companies such as BP are no longer sponsors of the Royal Opera House and British Museum after both institutions severed their relationships after close to 30 years. Reputational risk associated with carbon generation now means that some funding cannot be accepted without accusations of facilitating greenwashing.
The National Gallery, V&A, British Museum and the National Portrait Gallery have all dropped sponsorship by the Sackler family after the Purdue Pharma Oxycontin scandal broke, even though the family’s trust had been arts sponsors for decades.
All of these factors mean that the pressure on private donors such as the Rothschild Foundation are greater than ever - government funding has not and will not keep pace with inflation.
So, in 2023 why should charitable giving still fund a theatre or gallery?
According to Sir Nicholas Serota, Chairman of ACE “The answer is practical and straightforward: the arts, cluture and creativity change lives. They promote wellbeing, ease loneliness, enable individuals and communities to tell their stories, among many other benefits.”
The elements of this story were first run in the Sunday Times by Bryan Appleyard on 5th June but the tussle between good causes and life and death causes is one to provoke thought.
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