LONDON.- In their 60th year of supporting a wide range of projects across the UK, the Trustees of the Garfield Weston Foundation have awarded a grant of £5 million towards the creation of a new public wing at the National Portrait Gallery, as part its £35.5m transformation programme, Inspiring People, it was announced today, Wednesday 9 May 2018. This generous gift celebrates the long-standing relationship between the Gallery and the Weston family and will enable this historic part of the Gallery to return to public use.

Renamed the Weston Wing, the Gallery’s East Wing, used as offices since the 1980s will be restored to its original use with top-lit rooms, revealing historic features. More than 500 square metres will be accessible to the public and the restoration of original display galleries will provide an entirely new space in which to present the Gallery’s permanent Collection and special exhibitions. These together with the expansion of the Main Shop and Basement Café will also become new events venues for the Gallery.

Improvements to the exterior of the Weston Wing will include its own dedicated entrance at street level and will provide the entire Gallery facade with far greater presence and coherence, situated as it is in one of the most iconic locations in Central London, opposite St Martin-in-the- Fields and next to Trafalgar Square.

Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, London, says: ‘We are extremely grateful to the Garfield Weston Foundation for their generous support and one of the most significant donations in the Gallery’s history. The creation of the Weston Wing will provide an entirely new space in which to present the Gallery’s permanent Collection and special exhibitions, as well as enhanced retail and catering facilities for our visitors. Updating the galleries is a central part of our Inspiring People: Transforming our National Portrait Gallery project, which together with an extended national programme will provide us with the opportunity to connect with new and existing visitors and ensure the Gallery remains relevant to all our audiences in the 21st Century.’

Philippa Charles, Director of the Garfield Weston Foundation, says: 'As we celebrate our 60th anniversary in 2018, our Trustees were delighted to support the creation of the new Weston Wing at the National Portrait Gallery. The new space, with its own dedicated entrance, will help open up access to the building and create much needed additional public and gallery spaces. The Foundation has a long relationship with the Gallery and we are delighted to be part of this exciting new phase in the Gallery's history.

David Ross, Chair of Trustees of the National Portrait Gallery, London, says: ‘On behalf of all our Trustees, I would like to thank the Garfield Weston Foundation for this wonderfully generous grant and for their long standing support of the Gallery. This outstanding £5 million donation, takes us significantly closer to realising the Inspiring People project, the biggest transformation the Gallery has ever undertaken, which includes a comprehensive re-display of the Collection across all the galleries accompanied by the Gallery’s most extensive programme of activities nationwide.’

With the exception of support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the grant from the Garfield Weston Foundation, which will be awarded to coincide with the charity’s 60th anniversary in 2018, is only the second £5m donation in the Gallery’s history. The Foundation has been a loyal supporter of the Gallery since 1996 when it gave £250,000 towards its Ondaatje Wing (opened in 2000). Since then it has given towards the refurbishment of the Regency Weldon Galleries, on-site storage facilities for the Gallery Collections and has supported numerous acquisitions, including the Van Dyck Self-portrait Appeal in 2014.

The donation comes after the £9.4 million pledged in June 2017 by The National Lottery (HLF) towards the Gallery’s most significant project since the opening of its Ondaatje Wing. Inspiring People: Transforming our National Portrait Gallery will also include for the first time in its history a comprehensive re-display of the Collection, combined with a significant refurbishment, creating twenty per cent more public and gallery spaces.

The Gallery has appointed Jamie Fobert Architects to lead the building’s development and has now secured £21.6m, 60% of its £35.5m fundraising target. With the HLF’s support of £9.4m, which includes an initial development grant of £900,000, building work is scheduled to start on Inspiring People in 2020. The Gallery aims to reach its target of £35.5m by March 2019 in order to complete the project by 2022.