ART WITHOUT ARMS!
Artists + audiences demand accountability regarding unethical sponsorship at National Galleries of Scotland
As artists and audience members of the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS), we are deeply concerned by NGS’s ongoing relationship with investment management firm Baillie Gifford.
We celebrate NGS’s role in caring for Scotland’s national art collection. We recognise the institution’s commitment to equality and to sustainability. We delight in the prospect of a national collection that represents the diversity of art and people in this country, and which works to nurture and preserve both. Yet we are troubled by and seek change in NGS’s current sponsorship agreements.
On 2 July 2024, NGS issued a statement that doubled down on its continued sponsorship by investment management firm Baillie Gifford.[1] This is in stark contrast to a number of high-profile institutions ending relationships with Baillie Gifford – including Fruitmarket Gallery, Collective and Stills Centre for Photography – following protests against Baillie Gifford’s investments in the fossil fuel industry and in companies with links to Israel’s illegal occupation, apartheid regime, and acts of genocide.[2]
On enquiry, NGS provided a further statement that cited a meeting of its Ethics Committee: “[Baillie Gifford’s] holdings of companies with links to Israel, such as Amazon, NVIDIA, Meta, Airbnb are tiny in their overall portfolio, and none of these companies are internationally sanctioned.” [3] This statement is deeply disturbing. NGS has either intentionally omitted or unintentionally overlooked the most alarming of Baillie Gifford’s holdings in regard to Israeli arms manufacturing: £60 million shares in Babcock International. Babcock International develops, delivers and maintains ground-based air defence systems and electromagnetic warfare systems in collaboration with Israeli military companies, including Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.[4] These companies provide the means by which Palestinians are murdered, and Palestinian land and infrastructure is destroyed.
Our demands:
Transparency
We demand NGS make public its investigation into the ethics of Baillie Gifford’s investments linked to Israeli arms manufacturing. We also demand NGS staff be allowed to speak up about this issue internally and in public, without fear of workplace pressure or reprisals.
Responsibility
In offering further context on its decision, NGS stated: “Baillie Gifford can only divest on instructions from their clients.” This is not true. In July 2024, Baillie Gifford-run trust Monks Investment Trust pledged to offload shares in firms making insufficient progress on environmental, social and governance factors – in particular, offloading its £20m stake in mining company Rio Tinto.[5] We demand NGS use its long-standing relationship with Baillie Gifford to demand divestment from companies that profit from fossil fuels, war crimes, apartheid, and genocide.
Accountability
We demand NGS account for the divisive nature of pursuing sponsorship deals that run counter to the ethics of the communities it works with. NGS’s Ethical Fundraising Statement states that corporate support “should not damage the integrity or reputation of the National Galleries of Scotland.” NGS’s relationship with Baillie Gifford has caused and continues to inflict such damage. To repair its relationships with artists and audiences, NGS must advocate for the divestments described above. If these divestments don’t happen, NGS must refuse the sponsorship of Baillie Gifford.
Signed,
TAKE ACTION NOW: ADD YOUR SIGNATURE
_________________
[1] Statement posted to the National Galleries of Scotland’s instagram account on July 2nd 2024:
“A statement from the National Galleries of Scotland on our relationship with Baillie Gifford.
After a lot of thought and consideration, the National Galleries of Scotland plans to continue our relationship with Baillie Gifford. We understand that this is a complex issue, and there are many differing views, but we are confident that the funding wwe recieve from Baillie Gifford meets or strong ethical standards.
As a cultural institution the National Galleries of Scotland offers a space for artists to share experiences and perspectives with other, encouraging discussion and understanding of the world we live in. This is one of the main ways we can positively impact society, but it need to be funded.
We deliver a world-class programme of exhibitions, events, engagement and outreach which just wouldn’t be possible without support from partners like Baillie Gifford.”
[2] In March 2024, Collective publicly acknowledged that artists in its development programme had “expressed concerns about funding we receive to support the programme from Baillie Gifford”, and “as an organisation founded by artists, and with artists at our core, we have reached the decision to withdraw from our funding agreement with Baillie Gifford.”
In June 2024, Stills announced that they no longer plan on receiving or applying for further funding from Baillie Gifford, and that they would seek a future for programmes that harness “the full support of our audiences and stakeholders.”
That same month, Fruitmarket Gallery ended its relationship with Baillie Gifford, stating, “we provide a platform for events that raise awareness and understanding of international situations as they become important to our community and the communities we reach.”
These three internationally-recognised institutions divested from Baillie Gifford based on their various stakeholders – artists, audiences, and communities – who numerously cancelled events, pulled out of exhibitions, and refused to attend programmes.
[3] Full statement recieved via email from NGS after seeking further information (July 12, 2024):
“Further context: National Galleries of Scotland’s relationship with Baillie Gifford
The relationship with Baillie Gifford was reviewed at a recent meeting of the NGS Ethics Committee, and the Committee decided that they wished to retain the relationship. The Committee, formed of NGS trustees and members of the Leadership Team, did not underestimate the complexity of the issues involved, but on balance agreed to honour our current funding arrangements. On review, Baillie Gifford were found to have only 1% of its clients’ assets directly invested in fossil fuel companies, 2% when including holdings that derive some income from fossil fuels, such as petrol forecourts and wind farms with backup generators. This compares to 6% invested in climate solution providers. Similarly, their holdings of companies with links to Israel, such as Amazon, NVIDIA, Meta, Airbnb are tiny in their overall portfolio, and none of these companies are internationally sanctioned. In addition, Baillie Gifford can only divest on instructions from their clients, which also risks the transfer of ownership into the hands of unknown, and potentially less socially-responsible investors.
As a cultural organisation, NGS seeks to offer a space for artists to share experiences and perspectives with others, and to encourage discussion and understanding of the world we live in. This is one of the main ways we can positively impact society. Such activity requires funding, and NGS has a long-standing relationship with a number of partners including Baillie Gifford, who are strong supporters of the arts, and enable us to deliver a world-class programme.
However, we understand this is a complex and emotive subject. If you wish to talk further on the issue we are always here to discuss.”
[4] As reported in The Herald, ‘Baillie Gifford pilloried over investment in firm linked to Israeli arms’, June 9, 2024.
For context, Elbit Systems markets its drones as “the backbone of the Israeli Defence Force”; the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries produces and maintains drones, fighter aircraft, and missiles; Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is Israel’s national laboratory for the development of weapons and military technology.
The weapons and technologies made by these manufacturers have enabled and perpetrated war crimes in Palestine, where over 40,519 Palestinians have been murdered since October 2023.
[5] As reported in City A.M., ‘Baillie Gifford-run trust ditches £20m Rio Tinto stake over ESG concerns’, July 3, 2024.