Clore Duffield Foundation donates £2.5m to support education at UK cultural organisations during pandemic

Dame Vivien Duffield’s charitable foundation is donating more than £2.5 million to support learning and community initiatives at some of London’s top cultural organisations during the pandemic.

The Clore Duffield Foundation, which is chaired by philanthropist Dame Vivien, who is a director of the Southbank Centre board and a governor of The Royal Ballet, is donating £2,551,371 to 66 cultural organisations in the UK.

The London recipients include the Roundhouse, National Archives, Natural History Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Unicorn Theatre, Royal Academy of Arts, Tate and V&A.

The foundation has already given more than £30 million in the past 20 years to fund learning facilities within these cultural organisations.

The money will go towards helping the institutions change their educational offering to be more accessible during the continuing pandemic.

Dame Vivien said: “When people could no longer visit in person, we were pleased to see so many organisations pivot to new ways of working.

“The cultural sector had an important role in helping children, families and schools through lockdown.

“We want ensure that no child misses out on the pleasures and benefits that the arts and culture have to offer. Even if the show can’t go on, the education work can.”