LONDON (Reuters Life!) - British philanthropist Vivien Duffield has donated 8.2 million pounds ($13.3 million) to 11 cultural organizations across the country for new children's learning centers, she said on Thursday.
The grants come at a time when British galleries, museums and theater companies are facing deep funding cuts as the government seeks to reduce its budget deficit and are seeking private sponsorship and financial support as an alternative.
The recipients of the funds are: The Donmar Warehouse; The Holburne Museum, Bath; Kensington Palace; Kettle's Yard, Cambridge; Museum of Liverpool; National Theater; Porthcurno Telegraph Museum, Cornwall; Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon; Tate Britain; Turner Contemporary, Margate and Whitworth Gallery, Manchester.
"I believe passionately that children and young people deserve the very best opportunities to benefit from the transforming power of our world-class cultural organizations," Duffield said.
"I am delighted that we have been able to support such outstanding projects created by some of the best architects, in museums, galleries and theatres across the country -- even in a royal palace.
"Now more than ever, I believe that culture should be at the heart of our children's learning."