The Bridget Riley Art Foundation

Charity Number: 1144367

Annual Expenditure: £0.7M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £720,901 (2023/24 expenditure)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable - no public application process
  • Decision Time: Not applicable - invitation/partnership-based
  • Grant Range: Varies significantly (supports fellowships, curatorial positions, and major institutional projects)
  • Geographic Focus: UK-focused with international elements (British School at Rome)

Contact Details

  • Website: bridgetrileyartfoundation.org.uk
  • Email: a.gibson@bridgetriley.com (general); a.sim@bridgetriley.com (inquiries)
  • Phone: 020 7603 4469
  • Location: Kensington and Chelsea, London

Important: The Foundation explicitly states it is “not yet in a position to consider all unsolicited applications.”

Overview

The Bridget Riley Art Foundation was established in 2011 for the advancement of education in the arts, particularly in abstract art as articulated by the works of British Op Art pioneer Bridget Riley. Registered as charity number 1144367 and company number 07677479, the Foundation operates primarily through grant-making to established arts institutions.

The Foundation's strategic approach focuses on supporting training, education, publications, and exhibitions related to the visual arts, with particular emphasis on drawing practice and the study of abstract art in relation to Renaissance art and Impressionism. Rather than operating an open grants programme, the Foundation develops long-term partnerships with leading cultural institutions including the British Museum, the Courtauld Gallery, the British School at Rome, and Goldsmiths, University of London. With expenditure of £720,901 in 2023/24 against income of £42,138, the Foundation draws on its accumulated reserves to fund its charitable activities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation supports specific institutional programmes rather than responding to open applications:

The Bridget Riley Fellowship at British School at Rome: £unknown (6-month artist residency for early- to mid-career painters, sculptors, and drawers; applications handled directly by BSR)

Curatorial Positions: Ongoing funding for curatorial assistant role at the Courtauld Gallery, focused on encouraging engagement with the drawings collection

The Bridget Riley Drawings Programme: Multi-year programme at the British Museum supporting public engagement with drawing collections (began 2014)

Institutional Support: Major Benefactor of Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art; Principle Supporter of South London Gallery Fire Station

Research Fellowships: Bridget Riley Art Foundation Fellowship at University of Leeds for researchers using the Maurice de Sausmarez Archive

Priority Areas

  • Art education and training, particularly in drawing
  • Curatorial development and museum education
  • Artist residencies for painters, sculptors, and those working with drawing
  • Academic research on abstract art, Op Art, and related movements
  • Public engagement with drawing collections
  • Support for contemporary art infrastructure

What They Don't Fund

  • The Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications
  • Does not provide authentication or attribution services for artworks
  • Does not appear to fund individual artists directly (fellowships are administered through partner institutions)
  • Focus appears limited to visual arts; no evidence of funding for performing arts or other cultural sectors
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Philip Young (Chairman) - Appointed January 2021

Sir John Leighton - Appointed February 2022. Former Director-General of National Galleries of Scotland (2006-2023). Knighted in 2012 for services to the arts. Led landmark acquisitions including Titian's Diana paintings and Landseer's The Monarch of the Glen. Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Professor Robert Kurt Kudielka - Founding trustee, appointed October 2011. Former Professor of Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art at University of the Arts Berlin. The world's leading authority on Bridget Riley's work, having documented her career since meeting her in 1967. Author of Bridget Riley: The Complete Paintings and numerous other publications on her work.

Martin Hugh Wyld CBE - Founding trustee, appointed October 2011. Former Director of Conservation at the National Gallery, London (1979-2010). Served three times as interim Director of the National Gallery. Restored major works including Leonardo da Vinci's cartoon of The Virgin and Child with St Anne and St John the Baptist.

Dr Frances Marie Follin - Appointed December 2020. Independent art historian with PhD on Bridget Riley's early Op Art work. Author of Embodied Visions: Bridget Riley, Op Art and the Sixties. Former chair of the Association of Art Historians Independent Scholars' Group.

John Alexander Charles Kirkland (Jack Kirkland) - Appointed November 2013. Founder and Chairman of The Ampersand Foundation. Executive Chairman of Bowmer and Kirkland Ltd. Appointed Tate Trustee in March 2025. Former Chair of Nottingham Contemporary (2015-2020).

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Foundation explicitly states: “The Bridget Riley Art Foundation is not yet in a position to consider all unsolicited applications.”

Grants are made through established partnerships with selected institutions. The Foundation identifies and develops relationships with arts organisations aligned with its mission, rather than responding to open applications.

For programmes funded by the Foundation (such as the Bridget Riley Fellowship), applications are made directly to the partner institution:

  • Bridget Riley Fellowship: Apply through the British School at Rome (bsr.ac.uk)
  • Research Fellowship: Apply through University of Leeds for the Maurice de Sausmarez Archive Fellowship

Getting on Their Radar

Given the Foundation's focus on institutional partnerships rather than direct applications, organisations seeking support should consider:

  • The Foundation's trustees include senior figures from major UK cultural institutions (National Gallery, National Galleries of Scotland, Tate). Building relationships with these institutions may create pathways to the Foundation.
  • Jack Kirkland, who founded The Ampersand Foundation, is active in contemporary art philanthropy and serves on multiple arts boards.
  • The Foundation's focus areas are clearly defined around drawing, abstract art, and art education - organisations with strong alignment to these priorities are most likely to be considered for future partnerships.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the Foundation works through partnerships and trustee-directed giving rather than competitive application rounds.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

While the Foundation does not accept direct applications, organisations seeking to work with the Foundation should note:

  • Deep alignment with Bridget Riley's artistic legacy: The Foundation's programmes focus specifically on abstract art, drawing practice, and the intersection with Renaissance and Impressionist traditions
  • Established institutional credibility: All current funded partners are major UK cultural institutions (British Museum, Courtauld, British School at Rome, Goldsmiths, South London Gallery)
  • Education and training focus: Every funded programme includes strong educational or developmental components
  • Long-term partnership potential: The Foundation appears to favour multi-year commitments over one-off grants (the British Museum programme was initially three years, then renewed for another three)
  • Curatorial and artist development: Several programmes specifically support early-career development (curatorial positions, artist fellowships)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - the Foundation explicitly states it cannot consider unsolicited applications at this time
  • Institutional partnerships only - all funding goes through established relationships with major UK cultural organisations
  • Clear thematic focus - funding strictly relates to abstract art, drawing, and art education in the tradition of Bridget Riley's work
  • Apply through partners - if interested in funded programmes (like the British School at Rome fellowship), apply directly to the partner institution
  • High-profile board - trustees include leading figures from UK museums and galleries, suggesting strong institutional networks
  • Significant resources - expenditure of over £700,000 in 2023/24 indicates substantial grant-making capacity when partnerships are formed
  • Long-term approach - the Foundation favours sustained multi-year commitments over one-off project funding

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References