Recognising philanthropists

Five Arts&Business Prince of Wales Medals for Arts Philanthropy have been presented to Richard Broyd, Anthony and Anne d’Offay, Helen Thorpe, the late Lord Wolfson and family, and David and Philippa Seligman. The award celebrates individuals who support the arts and recognises the contribution of cultural philanthropists in the UK. Secretary of State for Culture Jeremy Hunt said: “The arts in this country will continue to flourish thanks to a combination of public subsidy, corporate support and the profound generosity of private donors. The five honourees being recognised today epitomise the philanthropic spirit.”?? The five honourees were selected after the Prince of Wales’ Arts Advisory Group drew up a short list of twenty philanthropists. A judging panel of artists then chose the final five.

Richard Broyd founded Historic House Hotels in 1979 to sympathetically restore old buildings, which would then pay for their own upkeep by admitting paying guests. In 2008, he gave the entire company and its assets to the National Trust – the largest single gift that the charity had ever received. In 2008, Anthony and Anne d’Offay gave away 725 individual pieces of art including works by Warhol and Hirst – at a personal cost of roughly £100m – so that young people around the country would be able to view it forever, and for free. Helen Thorpe has donated huge amounts of time, money and energy to the South London Gallery in Peckham, helping it to complete a £2m redevelopment project. The late Lord Wolfson and his family have, since 1955, given away more than £1bn to a variety of causes in science, medicine, education and the arts. David and Philippa Seligman have been pivotal in the arts in Wales, supporting St David’s Hall in Cardiff, the Wales Millennium Centre and Welsh National Opera. David is a major donor to the Royal Welsh College, and Philippa gives her time training the Wales Millennium Centre’s development team.