HOW WE ARE FUNDED
Ikon Gallery is a registered educational charity (no. 528892) and relies upon regular funding from Arts Council England. This core grant covers the gallery’s running costs. Ikon’s exhibitions, education programme and off-site projects are primarily paid for through fundraising activity.
The gallery raises this money through grant making trusts and foundations, corporate patrons and sponsors, international funding sources and the generosity of those visitors and supporters who make a donation.
These funds are supplemented by income generated through commercial activity including hiring out the gallery for events such as drinks receptions and weddings and revenue earned through Ikon Shop.
Ikon is a registered educational charity (no. 528892) and gratefully acknowledges financial support using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Ikon Gallery Limited trading as Ikon.
2026 EXHIBITION SUPPORTERS
Donald Locke: Resistant Forms is generously supported by The Ampersand Foundation, Henry Moore Foundation, the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, Alison Jacques and the Estate of Donald Locke.
Break the Mould is supported by Jerwood Foundation and Freelands Foundation.
Angela de la Cruz: UPRIGHT is supported by Henry Moore Foundation and Ikon Benefactor Jonathan Wearing.
The Balraj Khanna exhibition is made possible by lead supporter Bagri Foundation, with additional support from the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, Jhaveri Contemporary and the Balraj Khanna Estate.
What are the odds? Ikon Creative Health, Library of Birmingham, is supported by an Art Fund Reimagine grant.
PROJECT SUPPORTERS
Ikon Youth Programme is supported by Freelands Foundation and Sandwell Metropolitan Council.
Ikon Creative Health partners include Artscoop Central; Changing Our Lives; Art and Activism Cluster, Birmingham City University; Birmingham City Council, Public Health and Adult Social Care; Birmingham Hospice; HMP Birmingham; In Certain Places, University of Lancashire; Jameel Arts and Health Lab; NHS Living Well Consortium; School of Social Policy and Society, University of Birmingham; Stuart Hall Archive Project, University of Birmingham.
Artist in Residence at HMP Grendon is supported by the Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust.
Artist in Residence at HMP Spring Hill is supported by the Rothschild Foundation.
Artist in Residence at HMP Birmingham is supported by Birmingham City Council, Public Health, William A Cadbury Charitable Trust and The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust.
Ikon’s work in regional primary schools is supported by the Creative Connections consortium.
CORPORATE SUPPORTERS
Deutsche Bank, Elonex and Howells, Kier and Transport for West Midlands
BENEFACTORS AND PATRONS
Lead Benefactor
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Benefactors
Jan Arkwright, Pieter-Laurin Hartwig, Jonathan Wearing
Patrons
Paul Aston, Lulu Badr, Adrian Bland, François Chrétien, John Davenport, Victoria Denning, Sharon Hall Shipp, John Hayes, Ian Hyde, Jeanette Koch, Oliver Longmore, Tom Merilion, Stephen Pallister, Jasmin Pelham, Jonathan Seville, Richard Shipp, Robert Steinberger-Wilckens, Dave Watton
Ikon is dependent on individual giving more than ever before. There are two levels for individual patronage. Find out more.
Capital Funders and Founder Patrons
The new Ikon Gallery in the former Oozells Street School was opened on 20 March 1998 by the Rt Hon Clare Short, Secretary of State for International Development and MP for Birmingham Ladywood.
Capital Funders
The National Lottery Through The Arts Council of England European Regional Development Fund; The Foundation for Sport and the Arts; Royal Society for Arts; Art for Architecture ward; Argent; William A Cadbury Charitable Trust.
Corporate Founder Patrons
Birmingham Cable Communications; Brindleyplace Office Environments; BT Midlands; Colebrook Veterinary Services; CSFM (Holdings) Ltd; Haslimann Taylor Ltd; Industrial Brushware Ltd; König and Neurath; Lloyds Plc; Neil Willies and Co; Novotel, Birmingham Centre; Peel and Fowler; PricewaterhouseCoopers; Rubery Owen Holdings Ltd; Shakespeares; Tarmac; We Are Cleaning (GB) Ltd; Z3 Limited.
Founder Patrons
Rob Ayling; Adrian Bland; Siena and Simone Hilley Bland; W Dennis Bland; Dr Nigel Buller; Anthony Coombs; Graham Coombs; Mr and Mrs P Couse; Anna Dunford; Elnora Ferguson; Martin Hopkins; Tony Hughes; Lyn Hunter; Dr Philip John; Tom Jones; Stephen Kent; Tessa King-Farlow; Amanda Knight Adams; Mark Knight Adams; Jeanette Koch; Shirley and Michael Laffoley; Mr and Mrs J Marston; David Maxwell; Vivienne Moulder; Christine Parker; Ray Pheasant; Lorna Phillips Coombs; John Pickering; Angus and Midge Skene; Josef and Marjorie Soller; Dr Sheila Stowell; Dr Jennifer Young.
