The 2019 Achates individual philanthropy prize winner is Nick Thomlinson with the World Heart Beat Music Academy, founded by Sahana Gero, after his £37,500 donation. Selected from a list of seven nominees, Thomlinson accepted the annual commemoration from Hannah Rothschild CBE. The award is given annually to first-time supporters of the arts in the UK.

The Achates Philanthropy Prize is a project of the Achates Philanthropy Foundation, which was created in 2016 to support innovation in the cultural sector and to support the development of models enabling organisational resilience. Achates Philanthropy Foundation is a UK registered charity, number 1173008.

World Heart Beat Music Academy aims to provide grassroots, non-selective, music education programmes for children of diverse backgrounds. Introduced to the organisation by a trustee, Thomlinson donated his gift after meeting founder and artistic director, Gero, and attending events. According to the press release, Thomlinson was inspired by Gero’s vision and by seeing the children involved first-hand.

Thomlinson was presented with a sculpture by British artist, Peter Brooke-Ball MRBS, and a £5,000 donation from the Achates Philanthropy Foundation which will used towards instruments for children in Wandsworth.

‘How wonderful to have won a Prize that is shining a light on the importance of individual philanthropy for the Arts. I never saw myself as a major donor and certainly never envisaged getting involved in fundraising. However, World Heart Beat Music Academy is a wonderful charity that’s making a real difference to the lives of young people. Once I got involved, I couldn’t step away – I realised I was hooked,’ said Thomlinson.

Achates Philanthropy also awarded prize Bursaries, the first in a series of national initiatives to be launched and led by the ambassadors, a group of experienced arts professionals. The inaugural Bursaries have announced they will offer five UK arts organisations a bespoke masterclass to support the development of their fundraising.

2019 Bursaries were awarded to Hackney Shed, Northern Ireland Opera, Square Chapel Arts Centre, Streatham Space, and Writing West Midlands

For more on the Achates philanthropy prize see: achatesprize.co.uk