Arts Council England announced the results of the 2024-25 Cultural Gifts Scheme and Acceptance in Lieu initiatives, through which 32 artworks valued at nearly $80 million entered public collections. Highlights include Edgar Degas's pastel *Danseuses roses* (ca. 1897–1901) donated to the National Gallery, paintings by Max Liebermann and Max Pechstein given to the Ashmolean Museum, a historic desk used by Prime Ministers Benjamin Disraeli and Winston Churchill acquired by the National Trust, and 77 photographs by Bill Brandt donated to Tate. The report covers transfers from April 2024 to March 2025.
The program enables private owners to reduce tax obligations by donating culturally significant works to public institutions, addressing dwindling public acquisition budgets. Nicholas Serota, chair of Arts Council England, noted that many allocations went to regional institutions this year. Over the past decade, 461 objects worth $727 million have been acquired through these schemes, underscoring their critical role in preserving national heritage amid fiscal constraints.