Chinese Funding to UK Art Industry

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Dear The Victoria and Albert Museum,

1. Please tell me the total amount of annual funding (including sponsorship, donations, gifts and other forms of financial support) from Chinese entities to The Victoria and Albert Museum in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

2. Please provide a breakdown for each donation (at minimum: entity giving the donation; ultimate beneficial owner of the entity; year of donation; amount of donation; purpose of donation).

3. Please also specify the percentage of total corporate sponsorship.

Making this information publicly available will enable the public to understand how much Chinese funding is going into the UK’s art industry.

Yours faithfully,
Jessica Ní Mhainín

V&A Freedom of Information, The Victoria and Albert Museum

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Dear The Victoria and Albert Museum,

I am writing to clarify my definition of 'Chinese entities'.

For Chinese corporations I include those where the entity's head quarters and/or founded location is in China.

For trusts and foundations I would exclude the term charitable, and instead include:
a) grant-giving trusts registered in China
b) grant-giving government affiliated bodies registered in China

For individuals I would include those who have Chinese citizenship.

Yours sincerely,

Jessica NM

Dear The Victoria and Albert Museum,

On 7 March 2022, you confirmed that you received our request for information under the FOIA and promised that we would receive a response within 20 working days. Unfortunately, we have still not had a response. Can you confirm that one is forthcoming?

Yours faithfully,

Jessica Ní Mhainín

V&A Freedom of Information, The Victoria and Albert Museum

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Dear Jessica Ní Mhainín,

 

Thank you for your enquiry concerning Chinese funding. I am sorry that our
response has been delayed.

 

Taking your questions in order:

1. The total amount of newly pledged funding received from ‘Chinese
entities’ across the years 2019 to 2021 was: 2019 - £0 ; 2020 – £0; 2021 -
£9,000.

 

2. The donations which were received in 2021 were of objects for the
collection, from PRONOUNCE and from Zhijun Wang Company. I regret that we
are unable to give you the specific valuations of these donations as this
would be prejudicial to the commercial interests of the V&A, and it is
therefore exempt from release under section 43(2) of the Freedom of
Information Act (Commercial interests). Donors to the V&A generally expect
the value of their gifts to the Museum to be treated confidentially, and
the release of this information, contrary to the expectations of the
donors, would discourage future gifts from these and other donors. The
viability of the V&A is increasingly dependant on donations from our
supporters, and anything which damaged our ability to generate financial
support would be damaging to the Museum.

 

3. No corporate sponsorships were secured from Chinese entities or
corporations in the years 2019, 2020 or 2021 

 

We note that in your message of clarification dated 29 March you mention
that you would like us to provide information on individuals who have
Chinese citizenship. I am afraid that we have not been able to include
individual donors within the scope of this response since personal
information is exempt from release under section 40(2) of the FOI Act
(Personal information). We are not necessarily aware of the citizenship
status of donors, and if we do have such information we cannot directly or
indirectly release it to you.

 

I should mention that the Commercial interests exemption mentioned above
is subject to the balance of the public interest in withholding the
information against the public interest in disclosing it. In our opinion
there is a strong public interest in the V&A being able to raise money
from private, charitable and commercial supporters in an atmosphere of
trust and mutual confidence, so as not to prejudice negotiations or the
ability to attract future support, or otherwise damage the Museum’s
commercial interests. On the other hand, we do recognise a clear public
interest in knowing the nature of private or charitable funding of public
cultural institutions - but we do not believe this extends to knowing the
precise sums of money involved in any particular donation. We have
concluded, therefore, that in the circumstances of this case, the public
interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in
disclosing the information.

 

I hope that this information will be helpful to you. In accordance with
the Freedom of Information Act, the V&A does operate a complaints
procedure and if you are dissatisfied with our response to your request
you may make a complaint, in the first instance to myself as the V&A's
Freedom of Information Officer. If your complaint is not handled to your
satisfaction you also have the right to refer the matter to the
Information Commissioner.

 

Yours sincerely,

Christopher Marsden

 

 

Christopher Marsden | Senior Archivist

V&A South Kensington | Cromwell Road | London | SW7 2RL

Email: [1][email address] | Phone: 020 7942 2319 | [mobile number]

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We are open and ready to welcome you | Book your tickets today at
[6]vam.ac.uk

[7]vam.ac.uk

The world's leading museum of art, design and performance

This message is intended solely for the use of the individual or
organisation to whom it is addressed. It may contain privileged or
confidential information.
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immediately. If you are not the intended recipient, you should not use,
copy, alter, or disclose the contents of this message.
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attachments are those of the author and are not necessarily those of The
Victoria and Albert Museum or its affiliates.
The Victoria and Albert Museum accepts no responsibility for loss or
damage arising from its use, including damage from virus. Victoria and
Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL, Tel: 0207 942 2000

From: Jessica NM <[8][FOI #841751 email]>
Sent: 07 March 2022 12:15
To: V&A Freedom of Information <[9][The Victoria and Albert Museum request email]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] Freedom of Information request - Chinese Funding
to UK Art Industry

 

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email is genuine.

Dear The Victoria and Albert Museum,

1. Please tell me the total amount of annual funding (including
sponsorship, donations, gifts and other forms of financial support) from
Chinese entities to The Victoria and Albert Museum in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

2. Please provide a breakdown for each donation (at minimum: entity giving
the donation; ultimate beneficial owner of the entity; year of donation;
amount of donation; purpose of donation).

3. Please also specify the percentage of total corporate sponsorship.

Making this information publicly available will enable the public to
understand how much Chinese funding is going into the UK’s art industry.

Yours faithfully,

Jessica Ní Mhainín

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