Turner Prize severs Stagecoach sponsorship amid ethics backlash
Following backlash against founder Brian Souter, who has a history of opposing gay rights and infamously donated £1 million in 2000 to prohibit LGBT education, Turner Contemporary and Tate have terminated their sponsorship of the 2019 Turner Prize with Stagecoach South East. This decision came just a day after the sponsorship was announced. The nominees for this year—Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Helen Cammock, Oscar Murillo, and Tai Shani—will present works addressing issues such as war crimes, women's rights, and marginalization. While Stagecoach South East expressed its dedication to diversity, it aimed to avoid overshadowing the artists. This move highlights ongoing discussions surrounding the ethics of sponsorship, echoing previous controversies involving institutions like the Design Museum and the National Gallery.
Key facts
- Turner Contemporary and Tate ended the 2019 Turner Prize sponsorship with Stagecoach South East
- The decision followed backlash over founder Brian Souter's anti-gay rights campaigning and £1 million donation in 2000
- Turner Prize nominees are Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Helen Cammock, Oscar Murillo, and Tai Shani
- The exhibition will be at Turner Contemporary in Margate
- Both institutions cited a mutual agreement to not proceed with the sponsorship
- Stagecoach South East stated it did not want to distract from celebrating the artists
- The Design Museum faced criticism last year for an event with Italian aerospace firm Leonardo
- London's National Gallery ended its partnership with Shell in October
- The National Portrait Gallery and Tate rejected Sackler Trust donations in March
- Photo London is ending its partnership with hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei
Entities
Artists
- Lawrence Abu Hamdan
- Helen Cammock
- Oscar Murillo
- Tai Shani
Institutions
- Turner Contemporary
- Tate
- Stagecoach South East
- Design Museum
- National Gallery
- National Portrait Gallery
- Sackler Trust
- Purdue Pharma
- The Art Newspaper
- Photo London
Locations
- Margate
- London
- United Kingdom
- Italy
- Brunei