Arts & Culture Finance is now part of Figurative

Philanthropy

We encourage philanthropic giving to the cultural and creative sector, helping organisations and supporters develop local partnerships.

New Philanthropy for Arts & Culture

Figurative’s philanthropy work is conducted by the New Philanthropy for Arts & Culture team.

New Philanthropy for Arts & Culture (NPAC) was established as a cause-related network in June 2019, under the chairmanship of Sir Vernon Ellis. Our work focuses on researching and developing means of attracting new philanthropy into the arts and culture sector, alongside supporting arts leaders to feel confident developing a range of funding sources for their work and seeking philanthropic giving.

The founder members of the NPAC network are generous supporters of the arts and aware of the significant potential of new sources of private funding, in particular from individual donors, to support and sustain the sector.

As our work has developed, we have created three resource hubs:

  • Support for the arts and culture sector, which provides some resources to assist in attracting gifts for your organisations.
  • Support for arts supporters and would-be supporters through the formation of a series of regional partnerships.
  • Research into arts philanthropy; what motivates arts donors and how the sector model might evolve to attract new supporters.

Our current programmes include the Arts for Impact matched funding campaign, in partnership with the Big Give, and our Place-Based Partnerships bringing together cultural and creative organisations and local philanthropists in regional networks.

We have also developed a rich and growing resource of more than 40 case studies across the cultural and creative sector which together make a powerful case for further support. In time, we will showcase these and other aspects of our work on the Figurative website – but in the meantime, you can access them here. We hope you find these both interesting and useful in your exploration of the sector.

Philanthropy Programmes

Philanthropy

The Arts for Impact campaign supports arts and culture charities working to achieve societal impact across the UK, with the public’s generosity multiplied through matched funding.

Philanthropy

Our place-based networks focus on the role and positive impact of arts and culture on communities and rally people around local causes.

Speak To Our Team

Project Lead, Figurative Philanthropy for Arts & Culture

Senior Philanthropy Associate

Philanthropy Associate

Philanthropy Associate

Latest Case Studies

Explore our portfolio to learn how our investments and programmes support cultural organisations of all types.

Figurative’s philanthropy team partnered with the Middlesbrough Cultural Partnership to help revitalise the city’s creative sector and increase local philanthropic support.

Figurative was invited to Japan to share insights into how impact investing can help develop a more self-sustaining cultural and creative sector.

In February 2024, Figurative’s Fran Sanderson presented to a Financing Media Freedom conference in Brussels on blended finance models and their applicability to mixed model economies.

Figurative is working with Australia’s arts council to examine the feasibility of a pilot impact investment fund for the Australian cultural sector.

Image credits:

Care staff taking part in a Paintings in Hospitals art workshop at St Michael’s Hospice. Find out more about our work with Paintings in Hospitals here.