Today Tate and Markit launch Art for All a new initiative which will provide thousands of free exhibition tickets to local community groups in the areas around Tate’s four galleries. The financial information services company Markit will fund the scheme by matching Gift Aid donations from exhibition visitors.
The first Art for All tickets to be given away will be for the Richard Hamilton retrospective which opens at Tate Modern today. Markit will match all Gift Aid donations made on the exhibition ticket sales, in order to fund approximately 5,000 new tickets to Tate exhibitions throughout the year.
The initiative is targeted at young people and families, who will be reached through existing partnerships and outreach programmes. Local authority children’s services and mentoring schemes in Westminster, Southwark and Lewisham will be among the first groups to benefit from Art for All, as will the University of the Arts London’s widening participation scheme. Art for All will encourage people to build a relationship with their local gallery, making the most of the opportunities they offer and opening up access to great art from collections around the world.
Nicholas Serota, Director, Tate said:
Tate is passionate about the value of art to society and we firmly believe that art can enrich everyone’s life, whatever their circumstances. We rely on donations big and small to make this possible and Markit’s generous match-funding will enable new audiences to enjoy this year’s major exhibitions. These shows are often once-in-a-lifetime experiences and I am delighted that the opportunity to encounter contemporary and historic art will now be open to all.
Lance Uggla, chief executive, Markit said:
We are passionate about supporting those who find themselves in disadvantaged situations in all of the communities we work in. Art for All will open up Tate exhibitions to people who might not otherwise be able to experience them. We are excited to partner with such a great institution as Tate in order to make this happen.