$40.3 million new gift from the Reuben family puts their philanthropic giving over the billion-dollar mark

The Courtauld has announced a new $40.3 million gift from the Reuben family — the largest single donation in the institution’s history.

The Courtauld’s centenary campaign but also cements a long-term partnership that will shape its future direction.

Alongside the financial commitment, the Reuben Foundation will collaborate with the Gallery on forthcoming displays and exhibitions, including loans from the Reuben family’s significant private art collection.

Founded in 1932 through the vision and philanthropy of Samuel Courtauld, the institution has always relied on the belief that art should be shared, studied, and understood as a vital part of human culture.

The Reuben Foundation’s gesture echoes that original spirit, aligning contemporary patronage with the legacy of one of Britain’s great art philanthropists.

This new alliance arrives at a pivotal moment: as The Courtauld prepares for the next phase of its transformation, its ambitions now extend far beyond its historic home on the Strand.

The Courtauld Gallery’s reopening in 2021, following an extensive redevelopment, marked the first stage of a long-term plan to reimagine how the institution engages with its audiences.

The next phase — the creation of a new campus on the Strand, due to open in 2029 — will bring its academic, curatorial, and conservation work under one roof.

To date, $155 million has been raised toward these intertwined projects.

The Reuben Foundation’s contribution will be a cornerstone, providing stability and scope for the institution’s goal: to expand access to art history and deepen its reach to wider, more diverse audiences.

Lisa Reuben, Trustee of the Reuben Foundation, described the partnership as “a natural alignment of purpose.”

She emphasized the shared belief in art as a public good: “The Courtauld represents excellence — in scholarship, conservation, and curatorial innovation — while remaining true to Samuel Courtauld’s principle of ‘art for all.’ Supporting its future feels like building on that original act of generosity.”

The Courtauld’s Chairman, Lord Browne of Madingley, underlined how pivotal such support remains. “Our success has always depended on the vision of enlightened philanthropists,” he said.

“This partnership with the Reuben Foundation allows us to evolve once again, expanding our national and international impact.” Professor Mark Hallett, Märit Rausing Director of The Courtauld, echoed this sentiment, calling the gift “a defining moment that propels The Courtauld into its second century with renewed purpose and ambition.”

The Reuben Foundation, established in 2002, has built a record of philanthropy across education, healthcare, and community development in the UK and beyond.

Its support ranges from founding Reuben College at Oxford University to funding major medical facilities at Great Ormond Street and Chelsea & Westminster Hospitals.

The Courtauld partnership reinforces the Foundation’s growing engagement with culture and the arts — an investment not in prestige, but in access, learning, and long-term impact.

The Courtauld itself remains a singular institution: part gallery, part university, part research center.

Its Impressionist and Post-Impressionist holdings — from Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear to Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère — are among the most celebrated in the UK.

But its academic role is equally influential.

As an independent college of the University of London, it has trained generations of curators, conservators, and art historians who now lead museums and cultural institutions worldwide.

This new endowment positions The Courtauld to act with greater independence and imagination.

It will allow for an expansion of teaching and research, increased public programming, and a deeper engagement with schools and communities — all while strengthening its role as a center for global art historical dialogue.

For an institution founded on the conviction that art belongs to everyone, this partnership with the Reuben Foundation signals a return to that founding impulse, scaled for the twenty-first century.

It’s not just a gift — it’s a reminder that philanthropy, when guided by vision rather than vanity, can reshape the future of cultural life in Britain.

The Reuben brothers—David and Simon Reuben—are estimated to have donated well over $1 billion through the Reuben Foundation and personal contributions.

Their philanthropy spans education, healthcare, the arts, and Jewish and Israeli community projects.

In 2025, they supported Great Ormond Street Hospital to advance pediatric healthcare.

Earlier, in 2020, they made a102 million landmark donation to Oxford University to establish Reuben College, dedicated to graduate studies and scholarships.

Other notable contributions include funding the Reuben Maternity Centre at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, the Children’s Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street, and support for leading U.S. institutions such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Lincoln Center.

With cumulative giving exceeding $1 billion as of late 2025, the Reuben brothers rank among the most generous philanthropists in the world.