Words by Blyth Brentnall
One of the most influential figures in fashion, Dame Anna Wintour, is stepping up with British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, to raise money for London’s defunded arts scene.
Fabulous! What’s in store?
With a mixture of opera, dance, theatre and fashion, the event will feature performers including Stormzy, Sir Ian McKellen, Sophie Okonedo, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Sienna Miller.
Proceeds and philanthropic donations from the event will plug the funding gap left after the government shifted Arts Council England funding away from the capital to support the regions.
So far the event has raised £1 million from ticket sales and donations. The full list of recipients is yet to be announced. But they will include large organisations such as the National Theatre, the Royal Ballet and Southbank Sinfonia, as well as small arts companies, freelancers and independent artists.
"We wanted to make sure that donations were broadly distributed to very small organisations," Wintour explained.
Charity check-in
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Create. Create is the UK’s leading charity empowering lives, reducing isolation and enhancing wellbeing through the creative arts. Support them here.
The Fawcett Society. This is the UK’s leading charity campaigning for gender equality and women’s rights. Support them here.
The Diversity Trust CIC. This Community Interest Company, established in 2012 in the UK, has a mission to ‘influence social change to create a fairer and safer society’. Learn more here.
This article aligns with the UN SDG Decent Work & Economic Growth.
