Wigmore Hall to end public funding after £10 million fundraising success
Wigmore Hall has announced it will voluntarily withdraw from Arts Council England’s (ACE) national portfolio from 2026, following the successful early completion of a £10 million fundraising campaign. The move, made two years ahead of schedule, secures the hall’s financial independence and marks a major milestone as it launches its 125th anniversary season.
Currently receiving £344,206 annually from ACE, the central London venue has become 100 per cent self-sufficient thanks to the Director’s Fund—established in 2024 to support future generations of artists, independent programming and audience development.
Speaking in 2024, Artistic and Executive Director John Gilhooly described the launch of the Fund as “Wigmore Hall’s statement of intent to secure the future of chamber music in the UK and for the Hall itself,” noting that the Hall was already 97 per cent self-funded at the time.
In a statement released alongside the launch of the 2025–26 season, Gilhooly added: “This landmark anniversary season celebrates Wigmore Hall’s heritage whilst looking firmly to the future. The financial security provided by the Director’s Fund will allow us to remain artistically ambitious for years to come, ensuring that Wigmore Hall continues to be a vital and independent force in the musical life of the UK and beyond.”
In an open letter from ACE’s Chair Sir Nicholas Serota and members of
the National and Area Councils, the Arts Council praised Wigmore Hall’s leadership in exploring new funding models and acknowledged that its decision was based
“in part on a dissatisfaction with our strategy, Let’s Create”. However, it cautioned against viewing this as a template for the wider sector, stressing that public funding remains “essential, especially in the current economic climate.”
As part of its commitment to accessibility, Wigmore Hall also announced that a new £500,000 grant from the AKO Foundation will underpin its popular “£5 Tickets for Under 35s” scheme for a further five years. Delivered in partnership with Classic FM, the initiative marks its 10th anniversary this year and has reached more than 200,000 young people since its launch.
The 2025–26 season features nearly 600 concerts and events, including appearances from Martha Argerich, Lise Davidsen, Joshua Bell, Midori, Maria João Pires, Mitsuko Uchida, Sir András Schiff, Sir Stephen Hough and the Kanneh-Masons. A two-week anniversary festival will include the launch of a new Wigmore Hall biography by Sunday Times bestselling historian Julia Boyd, and new music from composers including Rhiannon Giddens, Sir George Benjamin and Sally Beamish.