Jack Vettriano - Philanthropy

Philanthropy

In January 2008 Vettriano donated a painting,Study for Bluebird at Bonneville, to a charity auction at the London Art Fair to raise funds for the Terrence Higgins Trust. The painting, which was one of the studies for the iconic painting Bluebird at Bonneville, was sold for £32,000 and was the highest achieving lot of the night.

In 2004 Vettriano set up a scholarship for St Andrew's University to fund a student who would not be able to attend university otherwise. The scholarship is awarded every four years, the first recipient of which began their studies in September 2004. The endowment follows his financial contribution towards refurbishing the Students Association's Old Union Coffee Bar in 2002 and his involvement in student fashion shows. He was made a Doctor of Letters by the university.

In September 2001, Vettriano donated a painting, Beautiful Dreamer to a charity auction, which was held at Sotheby’s in aid of Help the Hospices. In 2008, a rare drawing he made of that subject sold for £22,000 at a charity auction in aid of the Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw Gallery in North Wales in July, helping to keep the gallery going.

Jack Vettriano donated a portrait he painted of Zara Phillips (horse rider and granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II) to Sport Relief 2008. The painting, entitled Olympia went to a charity fund-raising auction along with works by Sir Peter Blake, illustrator Gerald Scarfe and Stella Vine. The portraits project was featured in a BBC programme Sport Portraits shown on March 10, 2008. The painting was sold at Bonhams for £36,000.

In March 2009 Vettriano donated a self-portrait, 'The Weight (study)', to the Lighthouse Gala Auction in aid of the Terrence Higgins Trust. The painting, which was inspired by a photograph taken by Fredi Marcarini at Vettriano's London home, was sold for £21,000 on the night. Anne Magill and Jack Vettriano both donated paintings to this year's Terrence Higgins Trust Lighthouse Gala auction, which took place at Christies' on Monday 22 March 2010. Vettriano's painting, entitled 'Queen of Diamonds II', is the study for a larger painting which is to feature in Vettriano's forthcoming exhibition. The painting was sold for £26,000. Magill's painting, entitled 'Still', sold for £8,000 and is one of a series of studies of performers preparing to go on stage which will feature in Magill's forthcoming exhibition, which is to open at a major new gallery space in London later this year.

In 2010, Vettriano helped to raise money for the charity The Elephant Family by participating in an auction of donated elephant sculptures and models. Vettriano's elephant, 'The Singing Butler Rides Again', was the highest bid for Lot of the night, selling to a phone bidder for £155,000. The auction itself raised over GBP £4 million.

British Airways asked if Vettriano would create a postcard as part of their campaign for Sports Relief. The postcard "Wish You Were Here" raised over £2000 for the charity.

In March 2011, Vettriano donated a painting for the Lighthouse Gala Auction in aid of the Terrence Higgins Trust. Vettriano’s painting, entitled, Sunshine and Champagne II, is the study for a larger painting of the same title that featured in Vettriano’s Homage a Tuiga series of works, created to mark the centenary of the Yacht Club of Monaco’s world-famous yacht, Tuiga. The painting raised £29,000 on the night.