National Portrait Gallery rejects £1 million Sackler donation amid opioid controversy
The National Portrait Gallery in London has made a groundbreaking move by declining a £1 million donation from the Sackler family, who are facing multiple lawsuits linked to the opioid crisis in the U.S. This decision was made collectively, as the Sacklers wanted to protect the gallery from any possible controversies. For over five decades, the family has contributed to various cultural institutions in the UK, such as the Royal Opera House, National Gallery, and Tate. Photographer Nan Goldin, a vocal critic of the Sacklers due to her own OxyContin addiction, commended the gallery's choice, emphasizing that museums should uphold higher standards in preserving culture and excellence.
Key facts
- The National Portrait Gallery in London declined a £1 million donation from the Sackler family
- This marks the first major art institution to reject Sackler funding
- The decision was jointly agreed upon by the gallery and the Sackler family
- The Sackler family faces multiple lawsuits over their role in the U.S. opioids crisis
- The Sacklers have been philanthropists in health, education, science, and arts for nearly 50 years
- Nan Goldin, a photographer who became addicted to OxyContin, praised the decision
- Goldin had threatened to refuse a retrospective of her work at the National Portrait Gallery
- The Sackler family has donated to numerous UK arts institutions including Tate and the Victoria & Albert Museum
Entities
Artists
- Nan Goldin
Institutions
- National Portrait Gallery
- Guardian
- Royal Opera House
- National Gallery
- National Theatre
- Shakespeare's Globe
- Royal Ballet School
- Tate
- Old Vic
- Royal College of Art
- Victoria & Albert Museum
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Guggenheim
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- US