LONDON.- Bonhams and the National Saturday Club are collaborating on a charity auction as part of the Bonhams Post-War and Contemporary Art Sale in London on Thursday 3rd October 2019.

Sixteen lots will be for sale, generously donated by renowned contemporary artists, such as Frank Auerbach, Antony Gormley, Edmund de Waal, Bridget Riley, Phyllida Barlow and Richard Long. Proceeds raised from the auction will be used to enable many more 13–16-year-olds in the UK to study creative subjects for free at their local Saturday Club, where they can discover their talents and raise their aspirations.

Frances, Lady Sorrell OBE and Sir John Sorrell CBE, Co-Founders and Trustees of the Saturday Club Trust, said: “The idea for the National Saturday Club came from experiences we both had of free Saturday classes at our local art schools when we were 14 years old. They changed our lives. Our vision for the National Saturday Club is to give every 13–16-year-old in the country the chance to explore their creativity at their local Saturday Club. This wonderful support from Bonhams, and the artists donating works to our auction, will go directly to creating more Clubs, so more young people can develop their creative skills and realise their ambitions.”

Over the past 10 years, 8,000 young people have taken part in the National Saturday Club’s free creative learning programme. This is a pivotal moment for the Saturday Club Trust as it looks to develop the National Saturday Club network significantly over the next three years with its partners across the UK, and encourage young people from diverse backgrounds to get involved.

Ralph Taylor, Global Head, Post-War & Contemporary Art at Bonhams said, “This is an incredible initiative, which Bonhams is delighted to support. The National Saturday Club fills a vital gap in the education of so many young people, teaching qualities that are essential to the creative industries. Never has this support been more urgently needed. So, it is with great pride that we are able to host this auction.”

Later this year, Ralph Taylor will lead a Masterclass in auctioneering for Club members, as part of the National Saturday Club’s Masterclass programme.

Edmund de Waal, a Trustee of the Saturday Club Trust, will host a discussion about the importance of creative education at Bonhams’ After Hours preview on 30 September at 6pm.

The sixteen artists who have generously contributed their work to the auction are:

Frank Auerbach • Barnaby Barford • Phyllida Barlow • Fernando Casasempere • Shezad Dawood • Antony Gormley • Tess Jaray • Jennifer Lee (2 works) • Richard Long • Garry Fabian Miller • Tom Price • Gerhard Richter (print edition) • Bridget Riley • Mark Titchner • Edmund de Waal (2 works) • Charlotte Verity