The Courtauld in London has announced plans to create two new contemporary art galleries and a reading room, supported by a £10 million donation from the Blavatnik Family Foundation. The spaces, named The Blavatnik Contemporary Galleries, are set to open in 2029 on the top floor of the institution's North Wing at Somerset House. They will host special exhibitions, commissions, and events, and are part of an £82 million transformation project overseen by Witherford Watson Mann architects, announced ahead of the institution's centenary.
This gift brings the Blavatnik Family Foundation's total support for the Courtauld to £20 million, underscoring the foundation's significant role in UK arts philanthropy, which also includes major donations to Tate, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The new galleries aim to connect historic masterpieces with contemporary art, engaging students and bringing living artists to the core of the Courtauld's activities, marking a strategic expansion of its mission into the present day.