Press Release
Under embargo until 00.01 on Thursday 2 September 2010

Almost two-thirds of the public agree with the coalition

government’s new stance on arts funding
A poll commissioned by The Threadneedle Prize asked the general public their views on
where funding for the visual arts should come from and where the money should be
targeted.

The results indicate:

• 66% of people agree that the majority of funding for the visual arts should come
from corporate sponsorship and private donations (echoing the shift towards
philanthropy recently put forward by the government).
• 18% of respondents believe that the visual arts should not receive any funding
whatsoever.
• Only 16% think that the majority of support should come from public funding.

68% of respondents in The Threadneedle Prize poll believe more money should be
directed towards supporting artists to develop skills in observation, draughtsmanship and
painting. With a potential prize fund of £35,000, The Threadneedle Prize seeks to
provide this support directly to artists, giving them the financial backing and
encouragement to develop their talent in this way.

The poll also asked questions to determine what area of the visual arts has the greatest
potential to engage the general public:
• 61% of people answered that they preferred figurative art to conceptual art.
• 92% of respondents agreed that contemporary artists working in a figurative style
have something meaningful to say about the world around us.
• Despite Art Council England’s mission to provide ‘great art for everyone’, 60% of
respondents had no idea how the Arts Council spends taxpayers’ money.
• 94% would like to see a move towards exhibitions that the public enjoy, rather
than those that only appeal to a niche arts audience.

This move towards public involvement is one of the key aims of The Threadneedle Prize,
as the general public visiting the exhibition are encouraged to vote for the winner of the
£10,000 Visitors’ Choice award. The exhibition aims to increase public engagement with
the visual arts and is committed to expressing the opinions of the public through this new
award. Lewis McNaught, Director of the Mall Galleries, reiterates the importance of the
public vote, saying, “People come to art very engaged, they have opinions and they have
the right to express those opinions”.

The Threadneedle Prize also provides a successful model for this planned move towards
corporate funding. Actively supported by its sponsor Threadneedle, a leading
international investment manager, The Threadneedle Prize does not rely on any public
support, and instead seeks to support and encourage contemporary artists with real
commitment and vision using independently raised funds.

(Source: Opinium Research LLP carried out an online survey of 2,022 UK adults aged 18+
from 18th – 20th August 2010. Results have been weighted to nationally representative
criteria.)

 
  

Events
Who gets the money: arts funding in crisis?
Monday 13 September, 6-8pm

With major cuts in public services looming, are the visual arts facing a crisis? Evening
Standard art critic Brian Sewell joins an outstanding panel of speakers, including
Ekow Eshun, Director of the ICA and Clare O’Brien, Director of Development &
Marketing at the Wallace Collection, to debate where money for the visual arts should be
targeted. Book online at www.threadneedleprize.com or call 020 7930 6844 for tickets.
Admission £5 (concessions £2.50, including FBA Friends, students and over 60s).

Critics’ view
Wednesday 8 September, 1-2pm

A new and unique event: art critic Matthew Collings, historian and broadcaster
Bettany Hughes, journalist and BBC presenter Jeremy Paxman and journalist and
Channel 4 presenter Jon Snow each choose one work of art from the exhibition and
explain why they like it. Admission free with entry to the exhibition.

Listings Information:
The Threadneedle Prize for Painting and Sculpture
Mall Galleries
The Mall (near Trafalgar Square)
London SW1
Nearest Tube: Charing Cross
Tel: 020 7930 6844
www.threadneedleprize.com
www.mallgalleries.org.uk

Open 2-18 September 2010, 10am-5pm daily.

Preview Party and Press View: Wednesday 1 September 2010
Admission £2.50, Concessions £1.50 (Free to Friends of the FBA, Art Fund Members,
Westminster Res-card holders and Under 16s).

For more information and images contact:

Amelia Redgrift, Marketing & Press Officer
020 7968 0955 / 07859 039 679
press@mallgalleries.com

Richard Fitzwilliams, Press Consultant

020 8455 7393 / 07939 602 749
richardfitzwilliams@hotmail.com

Ella Tekdag, UK PR Manager, Threadneedle

020 7464 5082
ella.tekdag@threadneedle.co.uk

 
  

About Threadneedle
Threadneedle is an international investment manager with a strong track record of out-
performance across asset classes. We actively manage £59.7bn* of assets, investing on
behalf of individuals, pension schemes, insurers, corporations, mutual funds and affiliate
group companies. Established in 1994 in London, Threadneedle operates in 15 countries
with customers in over 80 countries. Threadneedle is the international asset management
arm of Ameriprise Financial (NYSE: AMP), a leading US diversified financial services
company.

Threadneedle is delighted to be a major supporter of The Threadneedle Prize and the Mall
Galleries. As a leading international investment manager, Threadneedle promotes creative
thinking and rigorous debate. We believe constructive argument promotes deeper thinking
and fresh ideas, and can identify value where others may overlook it. The Threadneedle
Prize does the same.

* (US$89,4bn, €73bn). Source: Threadneedle, as at 30.06.10.

Issued by Threadneedle Asset Management Limited. Registered in England and Wales,

No. 573204, 60 St Mary Axe, London EC3A 8JQ. Authorised and regulated in the UK
by the Financial Services Authority. Threadneedle is a brand name, and both the
Threadneedle name and logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of the
Threadneedle group of companies. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. The
value of investments is not guaranteed and may fall as well as rise.