The British Museum’s inaugural Ball has raised more than £2.5 million, a landmark moment in the Museum’s history that secures vital funding for its international partnerships. The figure incorporates the generous support of table hosts and guests; donations made on the night and proceeds from the Ball’s silent auction.
During the evening, the British Museum was able to announce an extraordinary £10.3 million pledge from the Garfield Weston Foundation. This major contribution will enable the Museum to move forward with its Visitor Welcome Programme, which includes new Visitor Welcome Pavilions at both the North and South entrances. The programme will create a world-class visitor welcome through cutting-edge design, horticulture, and a reimagining of the Museum’s famous forecourt.
Chaired by arts patron and businesswoman Isha Ambani, alongside Director Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE, the Ball welcomed nearly 900 guests, 70% of whom were new to the Museum, including leading cultural figures. The Museum was transformed for the night, inspired by the critically acclaimed exhibition Ancient India: Living Traditions.
Guests in attendance included Sir Mick Jagger, Janet Jackson, Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, James Norton, Maya Jama, Erin O’Connor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chloe Kelly, Leah Williamson OBE, Sir Steve McQueen, the Mayor of London and members of the diverse and influential Ball Committee, such as Naomi Campbell, Edward Enninful OBE, Dame Tracey Emin, and Sir Grayson Perry.
Walking the pink carpet
Arriving at the Museum, guests walked the pink carpet up to the iconic south façade and colonnade. Speeches were made in the Great Court by the Director, Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE, Co-Chair Isha Ambani and Chair of Trustees, George Osborne, who announced the extraordinary £10.3 million pledge from the Garfield Weston Foundation. A dazzling performance from Grammy nominated sitarist Anoushka Shankar followed, accompanied by the Grammy Award Winning Jules Buckley Orchestra.
Guests were invited to take their seats for dinner at tables set amid some of the most spectacular objects in the Museum collection. Served throughout a number of the ground floor galleries, a menu inspired by the rich flavours of India was served in artisanal, hand-painted tiffin tins.
Meanwhile, the silent auction offered unique lots that included a pet portrait by British artist and Museum Trustee Dame Tracey Emin, behind-the-scenes tours of the Museum’s scientific research laboratories, and the Greek and Roman collections with Dame Professor Mary Beard. Other prizes included an opportunity to be among the first to see the monumental Bayeux Tapestry when it arrives on loan next year, and a private dinner and tour of the British Museum, personally led by the Director.
Further entertainment
Following dinner, guests were invited back into the Great Court for further entertainment, again led by the Jules Buckley Orchestra who welcomed onto the stage special guests, Ivor Novello award winner Tom Odell and Grammy Award nominated M.I.A. Celebrated artists in their own right, they performed some of their defining hits with Buckley and his orchestra to the backdrop of one of London’s most revered architectural spaces.
Guests also viewed the ‘Tudor Heart’, a spectacular gold pendant linked to Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, as the British Museum launched a campaign to save it for the nation last week. Elsewhere, James Righton (Klaxons) delivered a DJ set by the Museum’s south staircase.
The Ball’s proceeds will directly support the Museum’s international partnerships, which include projects and collaborations with institutions from Ghana to Armenia, Iraq to India. These range from archaeological research at Girsu and Benin City, to pioneering curatorial collaborations with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) in Mumbai. The Museum’s International Training Programme also continues to equip the next generation of curators to protect and share heritage worldwide.
Benchmark for the future
The inaugural British Museum Ball has now set a new benchmark for philanthropic and cultural celebration, bringing together leading figures from art, design, fashion, entertainment, and public life in support of a shared global mission and to celebrate London’s status as one of the world’s leading cultural capitals.
Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE, Director of the British Museum, said: “The British Museum is at the heart of cultural life in the UK, and the inaugural Ball demonstrated this with both an unprecedented level of interest, an extraordinary fundraising sum, and a renewed sense of the mission we are on to transform this remarkable institution. I want to once again thank Isha Ambani, the Garfield Weston Foundation, and the many other benefactors who made Saturday a success and have supported so many international projects”.
Isha Ambani, co-chair of this year’s Ball, who, showcasing extraordinary Indian craft, wore a custom gown by Abu Jani And Sandeep Khosla said: “This evening, is a celebration of age-old creativity. In India, pink is the colour of warmth, welcome and joy. It evokes a spirit of openness and grace integral to our culture. My hope is that our evening will be a reflection of these values, bringing global communities closer, fostering deep mutual respect and understanding.”
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Guests in Attendance
Arts & Culture: Antony Gormley, Count Nikolai von Bismarck, Dame Tracey Emin, David Olusoga OBE, Elif Shafak, Es Devlin, Hew Locke OBE, Idris Khan OBE, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Jay Jopling, Justine Simons OBE, Katy Hessel, Lina Ghotmeh, Marc Quinn, Maria Balshaw CBE, Maureen Paley, Michael Craig-Martin CBE, Philip Mould, Sadie Coles, Sir David Chipperfield, Sir Grayson Perry, Sonia Boyce RA, Yulia Mahr.
Fashion & Beauty: Adot Gak, Adwoa Aboah, Bianca Jagger, Calum Harper, Christine Centenera, Daphne Guinness, Edward Enninful, Elizabeth Jagger, Erdem Moralioglu, Erin O’Connor MBE, Hon Daphne Guinness, Isamaya Ffrench, Margherita Missoni, Naomi Campbell, Natasha Poonawalla, Roksanda Ilincic MBE, Simone Rocha, Tim Walker.
Entertainment & Sport: Anoushka Shankar, Chloe Kelly, Chiwetel Ejiofor CBE, Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, James Norton, James Righton, Janet Jackson, Jerry Hall, Jules Buckley, Leah Williamson OBE, Laura Carmichael, Lucien Laviscount, Luke Evans, M.I.A., Maya Jama, Mike Skinner, Nathalie Emmanuel, Pom Klementieff, Rocco Ritchie, Sacha Baron Cohen, Sarah Lancashire CBE, Sir Mick Jagger, Tom Odell, Yasmin Finney.
Politics & Society: HE Sheikha Al Mayassa, HRH Prince Philippos of Greece, HRH Princess Nina of Greece, Lady Amelia Spencer, Lady Eliza Spencer, Lady Foster of Thames Bank, Lady Kitty Spencer, Rishi Sunak, Sir Sadiq Khan, The Earl of Burlington, The Earl and Countess of Rosebery, The Marchioness of Bath, The Marchioness of Cholmondeley, The Marquess of Cholmondeley.
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Photography By James D. Kelly, Dave Benett, Rowben Lantion and German Larkin
