The British Museum will stage its second fundraising ball on 17 October. The event will raise money for the museum’s £1bn masterplan, which includes major redevelopment works across the site.
Last year’s Pink Ball raised £2.5m before costs, with more than £2m raised net. This year’s tickets cost £3,500 each, up from £2,000, and include a donation.
The event takes place during Frieze Week. The timing brings the museum’s fundraising campaign before collectors, patrons and cultural leaders already in London.
The masterplan includes a redevelopment of the Western Range. It also covers new welcome pavilions and an energy centre to reduce the museum’s carbon footprint.
Designer Es Devlin will serve as artistic director. This year’s event will use red as its visual theme, linking the evening to three upcoming exhibitions: the Bayeux Tapestry, Declaring Independence: USA 250 and Korea.
Hedge fund founder Igor Tulchinsky will act as honorary chair. He has also provided £5m in sponsorship for the upcoming Bayeux Tapestry exhibition. More than 800 guests attended the museum’s first fundraising ball last year.
The event also drew criticism after a climate protest interrupted a speech by chair of trustees George Osborne. Greece’s Ministry of Culture also criticised the use of the Parthenon sculptures as a backdrop for the dinner.
The museum’s fundraising ball reflects the growing use of gala events to support large capital projects. As venues and cultural institutions seek more private funding, they are increasingly using high-profile events to engage donors alongside traditional fundraising campaigns.
