Courtauld announces new Contemporary Galleries at Somerset House

The Courtauld today announced a new gift from the Blavatnik Family Foundation — bringing the Foundation’s total support for the institution to £20 million — supporting the creation of two new galleries dedicated to contemporary art. The galleries are expected to open in 2029 as part of the development of the Courtauld’s new world-class campus at Somerset House.

The distinguished Blavatnik Family Foundation has supported the Courtauld for many years: in the words of Lord Browne of Madingley, Chair of the Courtauld’s Board of Trustees, “Sir Leonard and Lady Emily Blavatnik, and their Foundation, have been central to our recent history and success, and all of us at the Courtauld want to thank them for their exceptional and continuing generosity.” The Blavatnik Fine Rooms opened in 2021 as part of the major redevelopment of the Courtauld Gallery. This latest gift of £10m, which also includes the realisation of the Blavatnik Reading Room within the Courtauld’s remodelled library, builds on that longstanding partnership.

The Blavatnik Contemporary Galleries will provide a distinctive space for visitors and students to experience contemporary art through special exhibitions, commissions, and events. Located on the top floor of the North Wing of Somerset House within the new Courtauld Campus, the two new galleries restore a space designed in the 18th century as a display room for the Royal Society. They will be accessible to visitors via a dedicated entrance opposite the main Gallery entrance, providing full public access to the historic East Wing staircase. Since the transformation of its Gallery in 2021, completed by 2025 RIBA Stirling Prize-winning architects Witherford Watson Mann, the Courtauld has significantly expanded its offering of contemporary art, including successful exhibitions dedicated to Peter Doig and Claudette Johnson, and a major commission by Cecily Brown. An annual commission for The John Browne Entrance Hall launched in 2025 with a pair of new works by Rachel Jones. The first European solo exhibition of acclaimed New York painter Salman Toor will open on 2 October 2026.

The Blavatnik Contemporary Galleries, which form part of the Courtauld’s transformation of its historic Grade I listed building at Somerset House, will provide a space for working with artists on new projects, championing original practice and offering fresh perspectives on the most compelling and influential developments in contemporary art. The galleries will also be a site for experimentation and collective learning for the students on the Courtauld Institute’s MA in Curating, who will play a significant role in delivering the programme.

The new Courtauld Campus, generously supported by the Reuben Foundation and other philanthropists, with a masterplan by Witherford Watson Mann and designed in collaboration with Purcell and Lawson Ward Studios, will see the creation of a flexible teaching, learning and creative environment which will reunite the Gallery, Institute and conservation studios under one roof and strengthen the Courtauld’s position as a leading global centre for the visual arts.

Mark Hallett, Märit Rausing Director of the Courtauld, said: “Sir Leonard and Lady Emily Blavatnik have been foundational supporters of the Courtauld for many years, and we are thrilled that they share our excitement about our expanded engagement with contemporary art. Thanks to their enlightened philanthropy, visitors to the Courtauld’s galleries will be able to enjoy the most exciting art of today alongside our extraordinary array of historic masterpieces.”

Elena Crippa, Senior Curator of Contemporary Art: Exhibitions and Projects at the Courtauld, said: “The new galleries will be a site of possibilities for artists to present exceptional artworks. These new spaces will help us connect past and present art and ideas, engage students and bring living artists to the core of our activities.”

Sir Leonard Blavatnik, said: “My family and I have taken great pride in our association with the Courtauld over the past decade. It has been a privilege to play a leading role in shaping the Gallery’s future. We congratulate all involved and look forward to many more years of close collaboration.”

Sir Antony Gormley, artist, said: “Wonderful to have, in such a lively intellectual context, a new place to look at, experience, and discuss the art of our time.”