The New Curators training programme, which supports aspiring curators from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, has received a £3m donation from Russian-born billionaire philanthropists Anastasia and Igor Bukhman. The grant will fund the education of over 30 curators from around the world over the next three years. Co-founded in 2022 by former Tate specialists Mark Godfrey, Kerryn Greenberg, and Rudi Minto de Wijs at the South London Gallery, the programme has already supported 33 curators who have organized exhibitions in London institutions featuring artists such as Firelei Baez, Duane Linklater, Tanya Lukin Linklater, and Kang Seung Lee.
This donation matters because it addresses persistent inequality in access to curatorial careers in the art world. According to recent research, only 5.2% of people working in UK museums, archives, and libraries come from working-class backgrounds. The Bukhmans' backing secures the long-term future of a programme that aims to diversify the curatorial profession, with the potential to transform how art reflects contemporary society. The donation also underscores the growing role of private philanthropy in supporting arts education and institutional change in London's art scene.