Support us
Talbot Rice Gallery: Celebrating 50 Years
Be part of our growing community of supporters and help shape the future of contemporary art in Scotland.
For fifty years, Talbot Rice Gallery has played a unique role in Edinburgh's cultural landscape. As the University of Edinburgh's contemporary art gallery, we deliver an ambitious and innovative programme of world-class exhibitions, commissions, community engagement and education programmes. Talbot Rice Gallery is free and open to all.
We rely on the support of individual donations, trusts and foundations to continue enriching our visitors' lives through contemporary art. All donations directly support the artistic programme, enable artists to make their most ambitious work and help us bring their work to new audiences.
Our Heritage and Vision
Located within the University of Edinburgh's historic Old College, Talbot Rice Gallery honours the legacy of David Talbot Rice (1903-1972), whose pioneering research transformed understanding of Byzantine and Islamic art. Our home, designed by Robert Adam in 1789 and completed by William Henry Playfair in 1887, unites a spectacular Georgian Gallery with a modern white cube space. The Georgian Gallery, with its original features and ornate ceiling, once housed the University's Natural History Museum where Charles Darwin studied as a medical student in the 1820s.
As an integral part of Edinburgh College of Art, we:
- Explore what a 16th-century university can contribute to contemporary art practice today and into the future, showcasing both established and emerging artists.
- Engage curatorially with the 'national conversation' around vital issues such as Brexit, debt and children's rights – and elevate the gallery as a platform to depolarise debate.
- Share art's transformative potential through innovative educational public programmes to empower our local communities.
- Catalyse pioneering cross-disciplinary collaboration between artists and academic researchers.
Our Impact
Talbot Rice Gallery has established itself internationally, with exhibitions touring to Adelaide, Bilbao, Dublin, Melbourne, Rennes and Singapore. We've collaborated with acclaimed artists including Wael Shawky, Lucy Skaer, Emeka Ogboh, Angelica Mesiti, Qiu Zhijie, John Akomfrah, Céline Condorelli, Alice Neel, Jesse Jones and Samson Young, taken artists to Venice Biennale and facilitated ambitious installations such as El Anatsui's transformation of the gallery and Old College Quad.
At the heart of our curatorial programme is a belief in art's power to enact positive change. Our exhibitions examine critical societal issues from climate change to social justice. Through our education and public engagement initiatives, we:
- Maintain long-term meaningful partnerships with nurseries, schools and colleges across the city.
- Cultivate connections between artists, academic researchers and our local communities.
- Deliver bespoke workshops and programmes that welcome families and new audiences.
- Nurture emerging artists and cultural practitioners.
"The programme is unique in its scope and ambition, with the quality and reach of the exhibitions resembling the scale of biennale-type projects. Talbot Rice Gallery is emblematic of the best that we do at Edinburgh College of Art and across the University." — Professor Juan Cruz, Principal of Edinburgh College of Art
"We are very proud of the role that Talbot Rice Gallery plays in the Scottish cultural landscape—forging a unique curatorial identity and establishing the gallery not only as a place to discover new art but where we can all come together as staff, students and the community to exchange ideas that draw on expertise from across our university and the international array of artists we are privileged to exhibit." — Professor Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor
Join Our Community
Through your generosity, we can deliver our ambitious artistic programme and provide crucial educational initiatives for local children, young people and community groups, creating lasting impact across Scotland.
We offer two ways to support our work: through our TRG Supporters' Programme and through contributions to the TRG Commissioning Fund. Each provides distinct opportunities to engage with our work, and you're invited to participate in either or both programmes.
TRG Supporters' Programme
Join our community of supporters and help shape Talbot Rice Gallery's future. From programme insights and exhibition previews to curator-led tours and artist dinners, our supporters engage with contemporary art in ways that matter to them. In recognition of your contribution, you can enjoy a range of tailored benefits.
Supporter | £20.83 monthly / £250 annually
(Gift Aided Donation £235 | Benefit Value £15)
- Exclusive Director's updates
- Priority private view invitations
- 10% discount on editions and publications
- Regular programme insights
Champion | £100 monthly / £1,200 annually
(Gift Aided Donation £1,106 | Benefit Value £94)
Alongside all of the Supporter benefits, plus:
- Invitations to privately hosted events with artists and curators
- Invitation for you and a guest to an Artists' Dinner annually
- Complimentary exhibition publications
- Recognition: your support will be acknowledged in the Gallery and on our website
Curator's Circle | £250 monthly / £3,000 annually
(Gift Aided Donation £2,765 | Benefit Value £235)
Alongside all of the Champion benefits, plus:
- VIP access to Gallery and Edinburgh College of Art programmes
- Invitations for you and a guest to attend three of our Artists' Dinners annually
- Exclusive previews of exhibition installations
Director's Circle: £5,000
(Gift Aided Donation £4,500 | Benefit Value £500)
Alongside all of the Curator's Circle benefits, plus:
- Recognition: your support will be acknowledged in the Gallery and in our publications
- Intimate dinners with exhibiting artists
- Private curator-led tours for you and your guests
- Bespoke engagement opportunities tailored to your interests
How to donate to the TRG Supporters' Programme
The link below will take you to the University’s secure online giving pages.
Make a single donation to Talbot Rice Gallery
The TRG Commissioning Fund
To mark our 50th anniversary, we are establishing the TRG Commissioning Fund. The fund supports ambitious commissions that advance dialogue between contemporary art and academic research, enabling artists to create new artworks that engage with the University's world-leading research.
Recent commissions have included large-scale installations in Old College Quad, experimental digital projects and collaborative works with our academic community. The fund supports:
- Artist fees and production costs
- Technical support and installation
- Strategic acquisition opportunities
Support at any level helps shape our future. Contributors to the fund receive:
- £250-£1,199: Supporter-level benefits
- £1,200-£2,999: Champion-level benefits
- £3,000-£4,999: Curator's Circle benefits
- £5,000+: Director's Circle benefits
For more information please contact Melissa MacRobert, Deputy Director: melissa.macrobert@ed.ac.uk
Tax Effective Giving: UK
Your support for contemporary art can go even further through tax-efficient giving options.
Gift Aid increases the value of your donation by 25% at no extra cost to you. Higher-rate taxpayers can claim additional tax relief.
Example calculations:
Supporter (£250 annually)
- Gallery receives: £293.75
- Higher-rate taxpayer net cost: £187.50
Curator's Circle (£3,000 annually)
- Gallery receives: £3,691.25
- Higher-rate taxpayer net cost: £2,274.19
Tax Effective Giving: USA
Taxpayers in the US can donate tax effectively online at https://www.edinburghtrust.org/donations.
Organisational Support
We welcome support from trusts, foundations and corporations who share our commitment to artistic excellence, education and community engagement.
Organisational Benefits:
- Employee engagement opportunities including private tours and creative workshops
- Custom recognition packages aligned with your brand and CSR objectives
- Exclusive events and private hire of our historic spaces
- Access to influential academic and cultural networks
- Opportunities for knowledge exchange and research partnerships
- Brand alignment with one of Scotland's most prestigious cultural institutions
For corporate sponsorship enquiries, please contact David Brownlie-Marshall: David.Brownlie-Marshall@ed.ac.uk