philanthropyOz Blog

Gandel’s $7m donation to the arts

Melbourne property magnate John Gandel and his wife Pauline have donated $7 million to the National Gallery of Australia, to be used to buy artworks and to help fit out a new reception hall that will open next month as part of the gallery’s $107 million redevelopment.
NGA Council Chairman Rupert Myer said the gallery’s new function space had been named Gandel Hall in perpetuity in recognition of the gift from a couple who were among the gallery’s founding donors when it opened its doors in 1982.
Australian donors used to loathe being named for fear of appearing boastful but in recent years they have adopted the American attitude that, by being outed, they might foster greater philanthropy here.

» Read the Australian Financial Review article, 26 August 2010 (Link available for AFR subscribers only)

» This story has been added to our Major Donations page

$5 million gift from Betty Amsden to the Victorian Arts Centre

Melbourne benefactor Miss Betty Amsden OAM has made a $5 million donation to the performing arts with a major endowment to the Arts Centre, establishing the Betty Amsden Arts Education Endowment for Children.

A self-made woman, Miss Amsden began work at 15. During her working life she built and managed aged care facilities, lived modestly and invested astutely in commercial properties, real estate and the share market. She began her association with the Arts Centre soon after it opened in the 1980s. Over the past 12 years she has donated more than $500,000, mostly in support of the artists-in-schools program, expansion of a music therapy program for disabled children and the introduction of a staff development grant. Her latest gift will enable the Arts Centre to program special Australian and international performances for children and young adults and create new works for young audiences.

Miss Amsden is a Governor of the Arts Centre Foundation and a former Chairman of the Philanthropists’ Council. Her gift will be one of the pillars of the Arts Centre Endowment Fund. It follows the recent endowment donation of $2 million from The Myer Foundation to support the Arts Centre’s new Asian theatre series. Members of the Myer family have also pledged a further $3 million to establish the $5 million Kenneth Myer Asian Theatre Series Endowment Fund.

Read the media release on the Major Donations page on the Philanthropy Australia website.

AbaF releases Arts Sponsorship Outlook Survey 2009

The Australia Business Arts Foundation (AbaF) has released the results of its Arts Sponsorship Outlook Survey 2009. The survey was conducted in April 2009 of major Australian businesses actively involved in supporting the arts, and was aimed at discovering how the global financial crisis (GFC) has affected arts sponsorships, businesses’ level of satisfaction with existing arts sponsorships, and major factors that drive their arts relationships.

The survey found that more than two-thirds of businesses are committed to sustaining their arts partnerships over the long term, although over half of them expect to decrease their arts sponsorship over the next 12 months. The majority of businesses are satisfied with their arts partnerships, particularly with their delivery of social goals, brand affinity and communication.

Download the full report from AbaF’s website in PDF format.