London’s Wigmore Hall Launches New Private Director’s Fund

Created to secure the future of the venue and for chamber music in the UK, the fund has pledged £7 million

In addition to announcing its 2024/25 concert season, London’s Wigmore Hall and director John Gilhooly have launched its Director’s Fund — the biggest investment in the future of the Hall in its 123-year history, with an initial £7 million already pledged. 

Against the backdrop of uncertain public funding for classical music in the UK, the Director’s Fund aims to secure an independent future without the need for public funding, with a goal of £10 million by 2027. Wigmore Hall has stated that it is currently 97% self-sufficient, with only 3% of its funding coming from the public.

The fund's mission is to invest in future generations of artists at every stage of their careers, as well as create independent programming and quality experiences.

“For many, performing here [at Wigmore Hall] is a rite of passage — let’s not have the future of this place endangered in any way,” said John Gilhooly, Wigmore Hall’s Artistic and Executive Director.

“After a challenging post-pandemic period, I am pleased that ticket sales increased 28% over the past season,” Gilhooly added in the press release. “Audiences have now exceeded pre-pandemic levels, the highest in the 123-year history of the hall. 

“With £7 million already pledged, we are aiming to reach at least £10 million by 2027, with ambitions to reach £20 million within a decade. We are currently 97% self-funded; this target will allow Wigmore Hall to become 100% self-sufficient, if necessary. We will continue to nurture and develop talented musicians and to present a diverse classical music programme of a caliber and scale that our audiences from around the world have come to love and expect.”

Wigmore Hall’s 2024/25 season will feature more than 550 concerts and over 2,600 musicians, including cellists Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Gautier Capuçon; violinist Hilary Hahn; and pianists Isata Kanneh-Mason, Rudolf Buchbinder, Martha Argerich, and Boris Giltburg.