Vivmar Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: Not publicly disclosed
• Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation/partnership only)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: United Kingdom
• Funding Model: Private trust operating through institutional partnerships

Contact Details

The Vivmar Foundation does not maintain a public-facing website or published contact details. The foundation operates as a private grant-maker that works exclusively through partnerships with established cultural and educational institutions.

For inquiries about programs supported by the Vivmar Foundation, contact the partner institutions directly:

• Art Fund - for curatorial traineeships and collecting awards
• The National Gallery, London - for curatorial fellowships and traineeships
• The British Museum - for Knowledge Exchange programmes
• British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL) - for the Maurice Wohl Fellowship

Overview

The Vivmar Foundation is a private UK charitable trust that has been supporting cultural heritage and legal scholarship since at least 2010. The foundation operates as a strategic philanthropist, providing sustained, multi-year funding to a carefully selected portfolio of institutional partnerships focused on curatorial training, museum professional development, and European legal research. Rather than accepting applications, the Vivmar Foundation identifies and partners with leading UK cultural and educational institutions to fund programmes that address sector-wide skills gaps and promote professional excellence. The foundation has demonstrated particular commitment to developing the next generation of museum curators and preserving expertise in historic European art collections across the UK museum sector.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Vivmar Foundation provides sustained funding for the following established programmes:

Art Fund Vivmar Curatorial Traineeships (since 2011)

• Fully-funded 22-month curatorial training positions
• Partnership between National Gallery and Art Fund
• Places two trainees per cycle with regional UK museums
• Includes 6 months training at National Gallery, followed by 16 months at partner museum
• Previous partner institutions include Walker Art Gallery Liverpool, Compton Verney, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, York Art Gallery, Ferens Art Gallery Hull, Southampton City Art Gallery, and Museums Sheffield
• Programme addresses shortage of expertise in historic European paintings

British Museum Knowledge Exchange Programme (2010-present)

• Enables partnerships between British Museum and diverse UK museums, galleries and heritage organisations
• Fully-funded five-day professional exchanges for museum staff
• Annual programme supporting five partner organisations
• Open to staff of any specialism and level

Maurice Wohl Fellowship in European Law at BIICL (established 2010)

• Longstanding funding for research fellowship in European law
• Addresses issues including migration and Rule of Law standards
• Covers EU law and regional frameworks (Council of Europe, OSCE)
• Currently supports two researchers: Maurice Wohl Senior Fellow and Maurice Wohl Research Leader

Art Fund New Collecting Awards

• Contributing supporter alongside Ruddock Foundation for the Arts, Wolfson Foundation, and Coral Samuel Charitable Trust
• Awards support UK curators to expand and diversify museum collections
• Over £1.5 million awarded to 30 curators over five years (total programme, not Vivmar contribution alone)

Priority Areas

Based on documented funding activities, the Vivmar Foundation prioritises:

• Curatorial training and professional development in UK museums
• Expertise in historic European paintings and pre-1900 art
• Knowledge exchange and skills-sharing across the UK museum sector
• European legal scholarship and Rule of Law research
• Museum collection development and diversification
• Support for regional museums and galleries outside London

What They Don't Fund

The Vivmar Foundation does not:

• Accept unsolicited grant applications from organisations
• Fund organisations without established institutional partnerships
• Support projects outside their strategic focus areas
• Make one-off project grants to individual organisations
• Fund direct service delivery or operational costs unconnected to professional development

Ready to write a winning application for Vivmar Foundation?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save hours and increase your success rate.

Learn more >

Governance and Leadership

The Vivmar Foundation maintains a private governance structure with no publicly available information about trustees or leadership. The foundation's anonymity is consistent with many private charitable trusts that prefer to support their chosen causes without public recognition.

Dr Gabriele Finaldi, Director of the National Gallery, has publicly acknowledged the foundation's support: “We are extremely grateful to Art Fund and the Vivmar Foundation for their continued support.”

How to Apply to Vivmar Foundation

How to Apply

The Vivmar Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation operates exclusively through pre-established partnerships with major UK cultural and educational institutions. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees based on their strategic priorities, and the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals from organisations.

Funding decisions are made through private trustee deliberations, and there are no published application deadlines, guidelines, or forms.

Getting on Their Radar

While the Vivmar Foundation does not accept applications, the foundation's established partnerships suggest the following characteristics may attract their interest:

Institutional Profile

• The foundation partners exclusively with nationally significant UK institutions: Art Fund, National Gallery, British Museum, BIICL
• All partners are established organisations with national reach and sector leadership roles
• Partners deliver programmes with sector-wide impact rather than serving single institutions

Programme Characteristics

• Multi-year commitments addressing structural skills gaps in cultural or educational sectors
• Professional development and training programmes for early-career professionals
• Knowledge exchange and skills-sharing across institutions
• Programmes with clear public benefit and national impact

Previous Partnerships

• All identified partnerships began around 2010 and have been sustained over 10+ years
• The foundation appears to make long-term commitments rather than short-term project grants
• Partners have included the National Gallery (since 2011), British Museum (since 2010), and BIICL (since 2010)

Organisations seeking support from private foundations like Vivmar may benefit from building relationships with existing partner organisations, demonstrating track record in their field, and aligning with the foundation's documented priorities in curatorial training and cultural professional development.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not operate on a published decision cycle for external applications.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the Vivmar Foundation does not accept applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, examining their existing partnerships reveals what the foundation values:

Long-term Strategic Impact

All documented partnerships address sector-wide challenges rather than single-institution needs. The National Gallery programme addresses the shortage of curatorial expertise in historic European paintings across UK regional museums. The British Museum Knowledge Exchange programme strengthens professional practice across the entire UK heritage sector.

National Reach with Regional Benefit

The Art Fund Vivmar Curatorial Traineeships specifically place trainees in regional museums (Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, York, Hull, Southampton, Sheffield) rather than London institutions, demonstrating commitment to strengthening expertise outside the capital.

Sustained Multi-Year Commitment

The foundation's partnerships have been maintained for over a decade (since 2010-2011), suggesting they value long-term relationships over one-off project funding.

Professional Development Focus

All programmes focus on developing individuals' professional skills and career trajectories - curatorial trainees, museum professionals, legal researchers - rather than funding infrastructure, acquisitions, or capital projects.

Quality and Excellence

Partner institutions (National Gallery, British Museum, Art Fund, BIICL) are all leaders in their respective fields, suggesting the foundation prioritises working with organisations of established excellence and national reputation.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This foundation does not accept applications - do not attempt to submit proposals to the Vivmar Foundation directly
• Partnership model only: The foundation works exclusively through pre-established partnerships with major national institutions
• Focus on professional development: All documented funding supports training, skills development, and knowledge exchange rather than capital projects or operational costs
• Long-term commitment: Partnerships have been sustained for 10+ years, suggesting the foundation makes strategic, multi-year funding commitments
• Regional benefit through national programmes: While partnering with London-based national institutions, programmes specifically benefit regional museums and staff across the UK
• Private and anonymous operation: The foundation maintains no public presence, website, or contact details, consistent with many private charitable trusts
• Alternative pathways: Organisations seeking similar support should explore Art Fund, Arts Council England, and other cultural funders with public application processes

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Deborah Loeb Brice Foundation
• The Ruddock Foundation For The Arts
• The Woven Foundation (the I S A Charity)
• The De Laszlo Foundation
• National Art Collections Fund (art Fund)
• The Freelands Foundation Limited
• The Ampersand Foundation
• The Foundation Foundation
• The Rory And Elizabeth Brooks Foundation
• The Aldama Foundation

References

• Art Fund. “Art Fund pledges additional £500,000+ funding to support UK curators.” FAD Magazine, 4 February 2019. Accessed 1 December 2025. https://fadmagazine.com/2019/02/04/art-fund-pledges-additional-500000-funding-to-support-uk-curators/

• Art Fund. “New Collecting Awards winners: Round two.” Art Fund News, 9 December 2015. Accessed 1 December 2025.

• British Institute of International and Comparative Law. “Maurice Wohl Fellowship.” Accessed 1 December 2025. https://www.biicl.org/categories/maurice-wohl-fellowship

• The British Museum. “Knowledge Exchange.” National Programmes. Accessed 1 December 2025. https://www.britishmuseum.org/our-work/national/skills-sharing-and-expertise/knowledge-exchange

• The British Museum. “National Programmes Conference.” Accessed 1 December 2025.

• The National Gallery, London. “National Gallery and Art Fund foster new museum talent: Announcing the 2017–19 Curatorial Traineeships.” Press release, 2017. Accessed 1 December 2025. https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/about-us/press-and-media/press-releases/national-gallery-and-art-fund-foster-new-museum-talent-announcing-the-2017-19-curatorial-traineeships

• The National Gallery, London. “The National Gallery and Art Fund foster new museum talent.” Press release. Accessed 1 December 2025. https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/about-us/press-and-media/press-releases/the-national-gallery-and-art-fund-foster-new-museum-talent

• The National Gallery, London. “Curatorial Fellows - Individuals, Trusts and Foundations.” Accessed 1 December 2025. https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/support-us/individuals-trusts-and-foundations/curatorial-fellows

• Southampton City Art Gallery. “National Gallery Curatorial Traineeship Programme: supported by Art Fund with the assistance of the Vivmar Foundation.” 2019. Accessed 1 December 2025. https://southamptoncityartgallery.com/2019/06/national-gallery-curatorial-traineeship-programme-supported-art-fund-assistance-vivmar-foundation/