Why we fund the arts
BP has been supporting the arts in the UK for 50 years – with over 50 million people enjoying BP-supported activities in that time
"Just being selected for the exhibition can be a gamechanger for an artist’s career and winning is transformative."
Miriam Escofet, 2018 BP Portrait Award winner
Why our arts funding matters
BP believes that access to arts and culture helps to build a more inspired and creative society.
- We see support for the arts as part of our wider contribution to UK society, including STEM education initiatives and building local capability.
Our partnerships with major UK cultural institutions are long-standing.
- We have supported the Royal Opera House and the National Portrait Gallery for over 30 years, the British Museum since 1996 and the Royal Shakespeare Company since 2011.
Our support enables our partners to widen access to their productions.
Our position on addressing climate change
We know that our funding of the arts is in the spotlight. We understand the points of view being put forward, and we believe that climate solutions will be reached more quickly through dialogue and engagement.
- Like our critics, BP believes the world is not on a sustainable path. And, like our critics, we also support a rapid transition to a lower carbon future.
- The world needs to move to net zero carbon emissions and it is critical that everyone plays their part: individuals, governments and companies like BP.
- The only way the world is going to meet the Paris goals is by coming together in constructive dialogue. And putting that dialogue into action.
Workshop for NPG Next Generation, photo by Simon Mooney
How we are playing our part
We are committed to being part of the solution and are working every day to advance the transition to a low carbon future.
We are investing to grow new low carbon businesses such as BP Chargemaster and LightsourceBP – and also investing in our existing businesses to reduce emissions from our operations and to improve our products to allow our customers to improve their emissions.
A rapid transition to a lower carbon future will require a huge re-engineering of the world’s energy system. With our technical capabilities, financial resources and global reach, we're not just part of the future, we're an important part of the solution.
