This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/may/03/bp-not-to-take-part-in-judging-panel-for-this-years-portrait-award

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
BP will not help judge portrait award for first time since 1997 BP will not help judge portrait award for first time since 1997
(about 20 hours later)
Joint decision with NPG follows growing protests against oil firms’ sponsorship of the artsJoint decision with NPG follows growing protests against oil firms’ sponsorship of the arts
For more than two decades, BP has been represented on the judging panel for the prestigious portrait award it sponsors. But not this year.For more than two decades, BP has been represented on the judging panel for the prestigious portrait award it sponsors. But not this year.
After growing pressure from artists and campaign groups to end the oil company’s involvement entirely, the prize will be decided without its help, the Guardian has learned.After growing pressure from artists and campaign groups to end the oil company’s involvement entirely, the prize will be decided without its help, the Guardian has learned.
The National Portrait Gallery, organisers of the award, confirmed that for the first time since 1997 BP will have no influence on who walks away with the £35,000 first prize, which is announced on Tuesday.The National Portrait Gallery, organisers of the award, confirmed that for the first time since 1997 BP will have no influence on who walks away with the £35,000 first prize, which is announced on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the NPG said: “The judging panel is refreshed each year to ensure new perspectives are brought to judge the entries. The gallery and BP jointly agreed not to have a sponsor representative on the judging panel this year.”A spokesperson for the NPG said: “The judging panel is refreshed each year to ensure new perspectives are brought to judge the entries. The gallery and BP jointly agreed not to have a sponsor representative on the judging panel this year.”
Des Violaris, BP’s head of art, culture and sport, has regularly been on the judging panel. This year’s panel is made up of the director of the NPG, Nicholas Cullinan, the author and curator Ekow Eshun, the writer Justine Picardie, the former portrait award-winner Benjamin Sullivan and the NPG senior curator Rosie Broadley.Des Violaris, BP’s head of art, culture and sport, has regularly been on the judging panel. This year’s panel is made up of the director of the NPG, Nicholas Cullinan, the author and curator Ekow Eshun, the writer Justine Picardie, the former portrait award-winner Benjamin Sullivan and the NPG senior curator Rosie Broadley.
The spokesperson said the decision not to include a BP representative was not influenced by two high-profile campaigns launched last year. One was a letter backed by 78 artists, including five previous Turner Prize winners, which asked Cullinan to end BP’s sponsorship of the prize that started in 1990. The spokesperson said the decision not to include a BP representative was not influenced by high-profile campaign work last year. First, a letter backed by 78 artists, including five previous Turner Prize winners, asked Cullinan to end BP’s sponsorship of the prize that started in 1990.
The other was a letter from the artist Gary Hume, a former judge of the portrait prize. He described the decision to not have a BP representative on the judging panel as “a minor victory” but said it it did not go far enough. That was followed up by a letter from the artist Gary Hume, a former judge of the portrait prize. He described the decision to not have a BP representative on the judging panel as “a minor victory” but said it did not go far enough.
“I’m still incredibly disappointed that they [the NPG] haven’t bitten the bullet and followed the lead of other cultural institutions and decided that this would be a great opportunity to do the right thing,” said Hume.“I’m still incredibly disappointed that they [the NPG] haven’t bitten the bullet and followed the lead of other cultural institutions and decided that this would be a great opportunity to do the right thing,” said Hume.
The news follows mounting pressure on oil companies sponsorship of the arts. In October, the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company announced they would be ending sponsorship deals with Shell after Mark Rylance resigned from the RSC in protest over the continued relationship he said allowed the oil company to “obscure the destructive reality of its activities”. The news follows mounting pressure on oil companies sponsorship of the arts. In October, the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company announced they would be ending sponsorship deals with Shell and BP respectively after Mark Rylance resigned from the RSC in protest over the continued relationship he said allowed the oil company to “obscure the destructive reality of its activities”.
A month later National Galleries Scotland said it would sever its ties to BP over climate concerns. In July the novelist Ahdaf Soueif resigned as a trustee of the British Museum because of what she characterised as its “immovability” on critical issues, including the sponsorship deal with BP.A month later National Galleries Scotland said it would sever its ties to BP over climate concerns. In July the novelist Ahdaf Soueif resigned as a trustee of the British Museum because of what she characterised as its “immovability” on critical issues, including the sponsorship deal with BP.
A spokesman for the pressure group Culture Unstained said it was no coincidence that the NPG decision came after last year’s campaigning. He added: “The government needs to urgently commit to properly funding the cultural sector so that organisations can weather the challenges of Covid-19.”A spokesman for the pressure group Culture Unstained said it was no coincidence that the NPG decision came after last year’s campaigning. He added: “The government needs to urgently commit to properly funding the cultural sector so that organisations can weather the challenges of Covid-19.”
Paul Benney, a former portrait award nominee and signatory to last year’s artists’ letter, said he supports the NPG’s decision on the judging panel and that he hoped it lead to “an easing of the dependence” on BP for sponsorship.Paul Benney, a former portrait award nominee and signatory to last year’s artists’ letter, said he supports the NPG’s decision on the judging panel and that he hoped it lead to “an easing of the dependence” on BP for sponsorship.
Hume said the coronavirus crisis, in which all major museums and arts institutions have had to close, offered an opportunity to rethink the sponsorship system in general.Hume said the coronavirus crisis, in which all major museums and arts institutions have had to close, offered an opportunity to rethink the sponsorship system in general.
“Rather than just going ‘Great I’ll take that 10 quid’, you say I think we’ve got to think very seriously that this is a wake up call to how we behave and where we take money from,” he said. “We can’t continue with the same models.”“Rather than just going ‘Great I’ll take that 10 quid’, you say I think we’ve got to think very seriously that this is a wake up call to how we behave and where we take money from,” he said. “We can’t continue with the same models.”
The shortlisted works for this years portrait prize will be displayed online.The shortlisted works for this years portrait prize will be displayed online.
• This article was amended on 4 May 2020 to say that the RSC ended its sponsorship deal with BP, rather than Shell, in October.