The Clore Duffield Foundation is donating £2.5m to support cultural education in the UK at this challenging moment in time.

Over the past two decades, the Foundation has given more than £30m to create Clore Learning Spaces in 66 arts venues across the country, including museums, galleries, concert halls and ballet companies. Each of those organisations will now receive an additional 10 per cent of their initial capital grant, with the exception of those that had received more than £1m initially and which will receive 5 per cent. Individual grants vary from £4000 up to £125,000.

Announcing the donation this morning – in, appropriately enough, the largest of the Clore Learning Spaces, at London’s Royal Academy of Arts – Dame Vivien Duffield said it was partly driven by the realisation that ‘none of the learning spaces except one had reopened, and unfortunately to this day, most remain closed. This donation is to help the institutions take the necessary precautions, and where possible start their learning programmes in person. It is of course also to help retain and support the learning teams which are in danger of being dispersed.’

That first re-opened Clore Learning Space was at the Bristol Old Vic, and among those who also spoke at today’s announcement was Tom Morris, the theatre’s Artistic Director, who said he hoped the donation would ‘send a message to people thinking of investing in culture’ about the importance of supporting work in the communities most hit by the impact of the pandemic, and among children.

‘I hope it’s a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark period’, added Dame Vivien.