Catalogue description Tate Gallery: Development: Papers and Correspondence

The creation of fundraising advisory groups began in 1958 with the establishment of the Friends of the Tate Gallery. It was the first supporters' group to be attached to a national museum or gallery in the UK and was created to raise funds for the purchase of works of art. Groups were formed within the Friends to appeal to particular sections of the membership: Young Friends in 1968, the Patrons of New Art in 1982 and the Patrons of British Art in 1986 (the latter two being limited to 200 members each). In 1986 a second charity, the Tate Gallery Foundation, was established to raise funds particularly for building programmes and acquisitions and led to the formation of the International Council to build overseas support for the Gallery. In 1988 the American Fund was created with an endowment from a donor living in the US for the purpose of acquiring American art. The American Fellows (renamed American Patrons in 1993) were set up as a separate charity to receive small donations and membership subscriptions fom US citizens.

Prior to November 1990, the Gallery's sponsorship programmes were largely handled by the Information Office and donors by the Director's Office. Given the growth in the field of arts fundraising the Trustees agreed in 1990 to establish a Development Office to co-ordinate all fundraising activities at the Tate. Development includes papers which predate the formation of the Development department but which essentially document the same functions. The exception to this are the records of the Friends of the Tate Gallery, now Tate Members, which are listed at TG 20.