We are thrilled to be hosting a special Fundraising Dinner and Auction this Autumn in support of independent artists and creatives in the UK!
Leading contemporary artists, Antony Gormley, Joy Gregory (Photography Fellow, 1996), Claudette Johnson, Anish Kapoor and 2026 Turner Prize nominee Tanoa Sasraku (Visual Art Fellow, 2021) are among the creatives generously donating works to our fundraising event.
Beyond the artworks themselves, including a limited edition, Omo, 2019 by Anish Kapoor, participants can bid on a range of unique auction items and money-can’t-buy experiences. From a private curator-led tour of The National Gallery’s Renoir and Love exhibition; an exclusive evening at The Royal Opera House including dinner; to tickets to Wayne McGregor’s MADDADDAM, hosted by Kevin O’Hare CBE, Director of The Royal Ballet. The full list of participating artists and organisations will be announced in September 2026. Selected artworks will also go on public view at Sotheby’s, presented as part of their October Contemporary Day Auction on 16 October.
Online bidding opens on Monday 21 September 2026
All donated artworks and unique experiences will be auctioned in support of artists and creatives as part of our transformative annual Fellowship programme, the Arts Foundation Futures Awards. The awards provide vital unconditional financial support to promising artists and creatives in the UK at a pivotal moment in their careers, enabling them to concentrate on their creative development, experiment, and realise their artistic potential
Key dates
Online Auction: 21 September to 5 October
Online bidding opens on Monday 21 September, running through to Monday 5 October, with proxy bidding available on the night of the live auction.
Dinner and Live Auction: Monday 5 October
Online auction sales culminate in a celebratory dinner and live auction on Monday 5 October at Toklas Restaurant, with special performances by Daniel Casimir (Jazz Composition Fellow, 2024) and a DJ set by Nemone Metaxas (Electronic Music Jury, 2023).
Tickets to the dinner and live auction on Monday 5 October are available by invitation. To find out more, please get in touch.
Sotheby’s Public View: 9 – 15 October, 34-35 New Bond Street, London, W1A 2AA
Sotheby’s Contemporary Day Auction: 16 October
Selected artworks will go on public view at Sotheby’s on Friday 9 October, presented as part of the house’s October Contemporary Day Auction on Friday 16 October.
For sponsorship and partnership information, please contact us.