Press Releases/Info

Make history in one of the largest ever surveys of UK urban trees
Scientists at the Natural History Museum are calling on Britons to complete a major new urban tree survey in a bid to discover more about the diversity of the trees in gardens, streets and parks across the country. Supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 15 July 2010

Dialogue Café London call for proposals
Interested in taking part in a groundbreaking social venture which will transform the way we communicate and collaborate globally? The Dialogue Café Association is looking for enrepreneurial creative partners to host a Dialogue Café in London. Supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 12 July 2010
Download Dialogue Café London call for proposals PDF

Gulbenkian European Commissions announced for Touched, Liverpool Biennial 2010 International Exhibition. 9 July 2010

Measuring Social Value
Third sector organisations must be able to demonstrate their social value in the face of pending cuts, argues a report released by Demos. Supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 5 July 2010
Download a PDF of the Demos report
Third Sector, David Ainsworth

A Tale of Two Counties: Growing Older in Oxfordshire
A major new report from Age UK Oxfordshire, supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 18 June 2010

Homeless Link plants 'Garden for Change' in Second Life
Homeless Link has launched a virtual representation of the silver award winning Places of Change garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show to celebrate the talent of homeless people. Supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 8 June 2010

Grandparenting in Europe
Launch of a groundbreaking new study by charity Grandparents Plus, the Beth Johnson Foundation and the Insitute of Gerontology at King's College London, with support from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 8 June 2010

Andrew Barnett is appointed as the new chair of DV8 Physical Theatre, 1 June 2010

City of London Festival celebrates Portuguese culture
This year, the City of London Festival (21 June to 9 July) is celebrating music, dance, poetry and art from the Portuguese-speaking world including Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Goa, Mozambique and Portugal itself. 28 May 2010

Dialogue Cafés launched in Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro
The Dialogue Café Association is very pleased to announce the launch of its first two cafés to coincide with the 3rd Annual Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. Supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 27 May 2010

Tackling social isolation by getting older people online
Report on 'Older People, Technology and Community' is launched by Independent Age on Silver Surfers' Day, a project supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 21 May 2010
Download a PDF of the report

Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) call for service pilots
Making Every Adult Matter launches a call for applications as part of its national service pilots, supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 17 May 2010

Gulbenkian sponsors SMK Environment Award
Do you know someone who is new to campaigning or operating with few resources and who shows passion, tenacity and the potential to create change? Deadline for applications is 28 June 2010.

Gulbenkian Galapagos Artists' Residency Programme
Ruth Jarman and Joe Gerhardt of Semiconductor study live volcanoes on the Galapogos Islands for a new body of work, Worlds in the making. 17 May 2010

Hardest to Reach? – The politics of multiple needs and exclusions looks at the political challenges for left and right of tackling multiple needs and exclusions. Publication supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, 26 April 2010

New Gulbenkian Fellowship announced for 2011 Clore Social Leadership Programme, 19 April 2010

Saudade: An anthology of fado poetry 19 April
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation launches at the London Book Fair today the first ever anthology of fado poetry in English, with versions of the poems by 18 of our finest English language poets.
Listen to a discussion of Fado poetry on The Verb, Friday, 23 April, 21:30 on BBC Radio 3

Cherry-picking your blossom
As cherry trees blossom, join the Natural History Museum’s plant hunters to survey Britain’s iconic trees. Supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 16 April 2010

Survey of community action on poverty, jobs and the environment
The Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) is keen to hear from all types of organisations involved in tackling poverty, improving job opportunities or protecting the environment at a local level, for a new project to develop a grassroots strategy for promoting 'green' jobs. The project is supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation as part of its work on the environment. 13 January 2010
The survey can be accessed here.

Andrew Barnett, Chair of the Novas Scarmen Group, interview by Paul Jump,Third Sector, 12 January 2010
'Getting into difficulty – and out again'

Getting On: Wellbeing in later life
Ippr’s work on ‘the politics of ageing’ seeks to place a clearer focus on inequalities in older people’s wellbeing. This report sets out a wider agenda for policymakers and practitioners. Supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 1 December 2009

Urban Village Schools
In a new Foundation publication, visionary educationalist James Wetz proposes a new model of secondary schooling for all young people. 26 November 2009

Andrew Barnett, Leading Questions
Interview by Jane Dudman, The Guardian, 4 November 2009

Andrew Barnett welcomed as new Chair of Novas Scarman
The Novas Scarman Group, a major social justice charity at the cutting edge of tackling social disadvantage through social enterprise, innovation and positive impact, has welcomed the appointment in September of Andrew Barnett, Director of the Foundation's UK Branch, as new Chair of the Board. 3 November 2009

Social & Cultural Survey of Shoreditch & Hoxton
Following our move to Hoxton, the Foundation has launched a new report which paints a candid portrait of the local area. Written and researched by General Public Agency, it describes the area’s distinctive character and identity, and includes interviews with many residents and key players in the community.
Copies available on request from info@gulbenkian.org.uk
Andrew Barnett, Director of the UK Branch, and Lucy Musgrave, Director of General Public Agency, interviewed on the Robert Elms Show, BBC London 30 September 2009

Making Every Adult Matter
Too often the most vulnerable in society fall between the gaps in care services. The Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) coalition, supported by the Foundation, has today launched a four-point manifesto for the Government on how to address this problem and support people to fulfil their potential. 29 September 2009

Worldwide Views on Climate Change
100 people in Kettering discuss their views on climate change as part of a worldwide consultation of citizen's views which will feed into the UN climate change negotiations (COP15) in Copenhagen in December. Supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 26th September 2009

Schools within Schools
Smaller learning communities in secondary schools could hold the key to success. New Foundation publication advocates human scale education. 14 September 2009
BBC News, 15 September 2009
The Guardian, 7 September 2009
Mail Online, 7 September 2009

Who Pays to Access Cash?
Black and minority ethnic people are more likely to live in areas where they have to pay fees for withdrawing cash from cash machines, according to new research published by the Runnymede Trust, supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 26 August 2009

University of Oxford Botanic Garden
Gulbenkian funds artist-in-residence in a new cross-cultural, inter-disciplinary project inspired by the International Year of Biodiversity 2010. 13 July 2009

After Darwin: Contemporary Expressions
Leading artists and writers explore Charles Darwin's book The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals – with new and existing work from Jeremy Deller and Matthew Killip with Richard Wiseman, Diana Thater, Mark Haddon, Ruth Padel, Bill Viola, Tina Gonsalves and Gautier Deblonde. Exhibition supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
25 June 2009 Natural History Museum

Marcus Coates wins the Daiwa Foundation Art Prize
Marcus Coates, who in 2008 visited Galapagos on the Gulbenkian Galapagos Artists Residency programme, has won the inaugural Daiwa Foundation Art Prize for his film of Giant Tortoises, Intelligent Design. After his residency Coates commented: 'I have come away with a lifetime’s worth of ideas and inspiration.’ 17 June 2009

Diverse young Europeans show what it means to belong
Today, Manifesta and the Runnymede Trust release over 40 films from young people across Europe on the theme of belonging – addressing the realities of migration and settlement in London, Lisbon and Paris. A project supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. The educational resources will be made available by Runnymede free of charge to schools and youth workers. 21.5.09
Press Release

Get It: The Power of Cultural Learning
Feedback and recommendations from a public consultation by the Cutlure and Learning Consortium. 27 April 2009

Sheila McKechnie Awards 2009
The Sheila McKechnie Foundation (SMK), the UK’s only charity dedicated to supporting campaigners across a wide spectrum of issues, has launched its annual awards programme for campaigners. The twelve award categories include the Environment Award sponsored by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. This award is for campaigners of all ages based in the UK who are working to provide sustainable solutions to the environmental problems we face locally and globally. Closing date for entries to the Awards is Tuesday 30 June 2009.

TREE by Tania Kovats is installed at the Natural History Museum, 19 March 2009
Inlaid into the ceiling of a mezzanine gallery behind the Museum’s iconic Central Hall TREE is the largest botany specimen on display at the Museum. It is a 17-metre-long wafer-thin section of a 200-year-old oak tree, from the roots, to the trunk and branches. Commissioned with support from the Foundation, the artwork was chosen from 10 proposals by a shortlist of leading artists at the Darwin’s Canopy exhibition held at the Museum in summer 2008.

Litterbugs
Policy Exhange and Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) launch new report Litterbugs, supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, to highlight the blight of littering in Britain, and to propose new means of cracking down on those responsible.
Bill Bryson, President of CPRE, says "We must build civic pride in clean and tidy environments."
BBC News, BBC News Sarah Mukherjee
ITV News
Politics.co.uk
The Telegraph

The Embodied Mind
A report of the Foundation's groundbreaking symposium held at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in December 2008 is now available as a PDF to download free of charge.

Gulbenkian to focus on Cultural Understanding, Fulfilling Potential and the Environment
press release 19 January 2009
Download our Strategic Plan 2009

Funding in 2009
In 2009 we are working in a new way. The majority of our funding will be proactive and we will identify and work with partners whose activities will best meet our aims.
Our aims and current Partnerships and Initiatives are set out here. Our only responsive programme is a new Innovation Fund.

Spike Island Calouste Gulbenkian Residency 2009
Spike Island is currently inviting applications for the next major residency opportunity for a Portuguese artist in April-June 2009. Supported by the Gulbenkian Foundation. Application forms are available from Spike Island. Deadline 2 February 2009.

Culture and Learning: a new agenda for advocacy and action
A new report from the Culture and Learning Consortium is launched today. Based on the findings of an extensive public consultation among practitioners working across the cultural and learning sectors, it sets out the groundwork for a new approach to culture and learning in England. 15 December 2008

Women's Environmental Network launch a new handbook
The Three Tonne Club Handbook is a guide for groups and individuals who want to cut their carbon footprint. Three tonnes being the goal to be achieved by 2030 in order to limit global warming to 2°C. Supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 9 December 2008

Dark Matter: Poems of space
The third in the Gulbenkian Foundation's trilogy of poetry and science anthologies was published on 27 October 2008.
BBC Radio 4 'Start the Week', 15 December 2008
Financial Times, 1 November 2008.
BBC Radio 3 'Nightwaves', 27 October 2008

Steve Gater, Headteacher of Walker Technology College in Newcastle, which is being funded through the Foundation's Human Scale Schools programme, reflects on human scale education and a recent trip to the US to see small schools in action. http://headthoughts.wordpress.com/

Everything Stopped DVD, second pressing, October 2008.
Commissioned by the Foundation with support from Arts Council England, this remarkable film about a dance project with young people from a Pupil Referral Unit testifies powerfully to the ability of the arts to address the needs of young people at risk. Shown at conferences, seminars and training events across the UK, Everything Stopped never fails to stimulate great interest in this area of work and provoke discussion and debate around the issues involved.
Order a free copy of Everything Stopped
Read an article about the project by Richard Ings, Moving Pictures

The Gulbenkian Foundation has supported the publication of For All Ages: Bringing different generations closer together, a new pamphlet jointly published by 4Children and Counsel and Care, which argues that inter-generational approaches can deliver real benefits to communities. [PDF download here]
Generation gap could 'undermine society', The Observer, 21 Sept 2008

First 'five-in-one' school opens, TES, 29 August 2008
Supported by the Gulbenkian Foundation's Human Scale Schools initiative, Brislington Enterprise College in Bristol will become the first 'schools within a school' design to open under the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. "BSF and human scale schools should go hand in glove," says Simon Richey, Assistant Director, Education. "With the number of new schools being built, we are confident that human scale schools can expand at a rate of knots."

Marginalised and depressed: Britain’s older people
Gulbenkian funds new report from ippr, Older People and Wellbeing, the first in a series which examines the plight of older people in the UK. "There is a clear need to tackle pensioner poverty and health inequalities, and a need for more targeted interventions to support those most at risk of poor emotional wellbeing." 24 July 2008

From Access to Inclusion Toynbee Hall launches new research supported by the Gulbenkian Foundation into how basic bank accounts help people in their day to day life and the difficulties managing them can pose. “This provides compelling evidence of the role that proper access to banking facilities plays in promoting financial inclusion for the marginalized in our society and which gives clear recommendations for the future.” Andrew Barnett, Director. 24 July 2008

Sheila McKechnie Foundation announces Environment Award supported by the Gulbenkian Foundation. Award winner Alex Randall of the Centre for Alternative Technology is working to make political action and peaceful protest on Climate Change an activity practiced by everyone. CheatNeutral.com compares carbon offsetting to cheating on your partner and then paying someone else to be faithful. Alex is keen to explore the explosion in social networking media to grab attention for the issue. 23 July 2008

No Fear: Growing up in a risk averse society
Tim Gill's RSA Lecture on the themes of No Fear will be broadcast on Teachers's TV, Thursday 17 July, 11 pm.
Tim Gill was one of the panel experts in a special BBC 4 debate, A Revolution in Childhood, Thursday 5 June, 9pm.
Watch again
The Independent, Robert Hanks, 6 June 2008

Darwin's Canopy
Tania Kovats wins Gulbenkian-funded competition to create a new permanent ceiling artwork at the Natural History Museum. Her giant Tree proposal was inspired by Darwin's iconic sketch of the branching tree to represent evolution.
BBC Online, 16 June 2008
24 Hour Museum, 16 June 2008

Artists celebrate Galapagos in Darwin’s bicentenary
Jyll Bradley and Kaffe Matthews to follow Marcus Coates to the Galapagos, 10 June 2008.

No Fear: Growing up in a risk averse society
Tim Gill, the author of No Fear, is one of the panel experts in a special BBC 4 debate, A Revolution in Childhood, Thursday 5 June, 9pm.
The Independent, Robert Hanks, 6 June 2008

Darwin's Canopy 4 June - 14 September
In a project supported by the Foundation, the 10 shortlisted artists competing for the honour of creating a permanent ceiling artwork at the Natural History Museum reveal their proposals to celebrate Darwin's impact and ideas.
Nature, 2 June 2008
BBC Radio 3 Nightwaves, 3 June 2008
The Guardian, 4 June 2008

Emílio Rui Vilar, President of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and newly elected Chair of the European Foundation Centre addressed its Annual General Assembly and Conference on the theme of ‘Fostering Creativity’, in Istanbul on 31 May 2008. He called on the EFC and its members to continue to focus on the major transversal issues of our time, such as the climate change crisis, migration, poverty and global health. More ...

'Older people and neighbouring: the role of street parties in promoting community cohesion', Streets Alive, 27 May 2008
This Gulbenkian-funded briefing proposes that street parties can provide a platform for older residents to take a leading role in building socially integrated neighbourhoods.

'A route to homelessness?', Shelter report, 22 April 2008
A Gulbenkian-funded report reveals that slum renting still exists. A copy of this report can be downloaded from Shelter's website

Margaret Jull Costa's translation of Eça de Queiroz's masterpiece The Maias has won The PEN/ Book-of-the-Month Translation Prize 2007 in the US and has beenshortlisted for the Oxford Weidenfeld Translation Prize. The Maias is part of the Dedalus project with Margaret Jull Costa to translate all of Eça de Queiroz's work into English, with funding from the Gulbenkian Foundation in London and the Camões Institute and the Portuguese Book Institute in Lisbon.

Funding Story: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Andrew Barnett talks to Radhika Holmström about the current work and future direction of the UK Branch. Third Sector, 12 March 2008

Delivering A Sure Start to Later Life
Gulbenkian funds new report from Counsel and Care, 27 February 2008
Over 1.2 million older people living in isolation, Richard Gray, Sunday Telegraph, 24 February 2008

Darwin inspires artists in London and the Galapagos
Gulbenkian awards significant grants to The Natural History Museum and the Galapagos Conservation Trust. The artists shortlisted for two new programmes responding to Darwin's ideas and the islands that inspired his theory of evolution are announced today, 11 February 2008.
The Sunday Times, Richard Brooks, 10 February 2008

Gulbenkian European Commissions for the Liverpool Biennial.
Gulbenkian will support a series of new commissions by European artists over a three-year period beginning in 2008, Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture.

Gulbenkian sponsors Environment category of the Sheila McKechnie Awards 2008
"The Foundation, which aims to take an innovative, international and involving approach to its work, is interested in this most global of social concerns and currently supports projects intended to help raise environmental awareness among the public." Andrew Barnett, 23 January 2008

Human Scale Schools
Teacher Steve McCormack reports on a reform – backed by the Gulbenkian Foundation and Human Scale Education – that will create smaller, friendlier units, The Independent, 17 January 2008
Moving on up: How can the transition to 'big school' be made less overwhelming and scary for 11-year-olds?, Caroline Roberts, Education Guardian, 5 February 2008

Involving, international and adventurous...
Andrew Barnett talks to Patrick Butler, Editor of Society Guardian, about taking the helm at the UK Branch and his priorities for the future. 1 January 2008
Andrew Barnett's biography

'Fresh Start' Managed Moves keep children in education
New publication Managed Moves: A complete guide to managed moves as an alternative to permanent exclusion by Adam Abdelnoor was published on 14 December 2007.
Education Guardian, 11 December 2007
TES, 18 January 2008
Learning Curve, 28 January 2008