Blavatnik Foundation Donates £10m to Courtauld for New Contemporary Galleries
The gift will fund two new galleries at Somerset House, part of the museum’s long-term redevelopment, while the Foundation continues its wider support of UK arts institutions.
The Courtauld has received a £10 million donation from the Blavatnik Family Foundation, bringing the organisation’s total contribution to £20 million. The funding will support two new contemporary galleries at Somerset House, scheduled to open in 2029, alongside a redesigned Blavatnik Reading Room in the Courtauld’s library.
The new galleries will occupy the top floor of the North Wing, a space originally built for the Royal Society in the 18th century, and will have a separate entrance for public access. They are intended for exhibitions, artist commissions, and experimental projects, as well as student-led programming from the Courtauld Institute’s MA in Curating.
The Courtauld has expanded its contemporary art programme in recent years, including exhibitions by Peter Doig, Claudette Johnson, Rachel Jones, and an upcoming European solo show for Salman Toor. The new galleries aim to provide additional space for such projects and to integrate contemporary practice into the historic building.
The Blavatnik Family Foundation has a long history of supporting British cultural institutions, including Tate Modern and the V&A, and has been a regular backer of the Courtauld’s redevelopment. This latest donation continues that pattern, allowing the museum to offer a dedicated home for contemporary work alongside its historic collection.
The redevelopment of the Courtauld Campus will reunite the gallery, institute, and conservation studios under one roof, creating flexible spaces for teaching, research, and public engagement. The galleries are expected to play a central role in this programme, enabling new forms of collaboration between artists, students, and audiences.
Elena Leo is the Arts & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.
