Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage saved with £3.5 million public campaign

Prospect Cottage, the Dungeness, Kent home of late artist Derek Jarman, has been secured from private sale through a successful £3.5 million fundraising effort. Over 8,100 public donations combined with major grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, and the Linbury Trust reached the goal in just 10 weeks. Leading creative figures including Tilda Swinton and Wolfgang Tillmans supported the campaign, while artists like Clare Twomey, Peter Fillingham, and Isaac Julien contributed works and experiences as donor rewards. Art Fund will purchase the property from the Keith Collins Will Trust, enabling conservation of the building, its collection, contents, and renowned garden, plus establishment of a permanent public program. Stephen Deuchar, Director of Art Fund, noted the campaign's success feels particularly meaningful during the global epidemic crisis, citing Jarman's final years at the cottage as an inspiring example of human optimism and creativity battling illness.