Vogue World will donate £2m to London-based arts organisations through a newly established fund, Condé Nast has announced.
The star-studded event at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Thursday night was masterminded by the Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, and the Bafta- and Olivier-winning director Stephen Daldry. Its aim was to celebrate London’s heritage as a cultural powerhouse and to raise money for the UK’s cash-strapped performing arts scene.
The evening included performances from Stormzy, Annie Lennox, Cush Jumbo, Damian Lewis, Sienna Miller, James McAvoy, Kate Moss and FKA Twigs – with a whole host of A-listers from the worlds of fashion and entertainment present.
“Vogue will be donating 100% of net proceeds from ticket sales to arts and cultural organisations in London in the form of grants,” it said in a press release on Friday. “In addition to ticket proceeds, Vogue is working with a number of organisations and donors to increase donations to the fund through individual contributions.”
Among the 21 organisations receiving grants are the National Theatre, the Royal Opera House, the Royal Ballet, Southbank Sinfonia and the Rambert dance company. They can use the funds for anything related to their core mission and objectives.
The grants have been provided to three categories of organisations – Vogue World cultural partners, which helped produce the event; small, diverse organisations in London that have received funding for the first time or had their funding reduced; and organisations that support freelancers in London’s performing arts.
“The arts are under threat in the UK,” Wintour said before the event, describing Vogue World as “a timely reminder of how important they are, how vital a part of our lives, and how much they need our support”.
Friday’s 37-minute show, which was livestreamed around the world, marked the start of London fashion week. Performers, including James Corden, paid tribute to the importance of the arts, with the actor Harriet Walker showing her support for the Hollywood strikes by taking a swipe at AI technology during a comedy skit.
