Sir Paul Ruddock to Receive Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award

LONDON, June 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

The Montblanc Cultural Foundation is proud to announce that Sir Paul Ruddock is the UK recipient of this year's prestigious Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award, in recognition of his long term and outstanding support and dedication to the arts and education.

Sir Paul Ruddock will receive the award from Chairman of the Montblanc Cultural Foundation, Mr. Lutz Bethge at a ceremony at The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) on Tuesday 17th June 2014. As the winner of the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award, he will receive €15,000 that he has chosen to donate to the V&A for a contemporary acquisition. In addition to this, he will be presented with a Limited Edition Patron of the Arts Montblanc fountain pen specially designed and created for the 11 winners of the twenty-third edition of the award. This year, the fountain pen is dedicated to the father of the modern grand piano and philanthropist Henry E. Steinway. The writing instrument's intricate design is inspired by Steinway's piano-building program and the Steinway Hall in New York City built to make music accessible to wider audiences.

The Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award was established in 1992 to honour and support patrons of the arts who have made exceptional contributions to artists and their work. Every year, a select group of winners are chosen from a shortlist by an international jury of artists and art influencers. The jury, a sophisticated and passionate network of the art world's most creative individuals, is brought together by the Montblanc Cultural Foundation to share thoughts and carefully evaluate the candidates in each country before casting their votes. The winning patrons must demonstrate a history of personal commitment to the arts and a concern that the wider public should benefit from cultural projects. Past recipients of the award include HRH The Prince of Wales, Russian maestro Valery Gergiev, American musician Quincy Jones, Italian architect Renzo Piano and Japanese artist Yoko Ono.

"It has always been Montblanc's belief that the advancement of the arts and cultural enrichment are essential to human society because culture is the foundation of all civilization by facilitating communication, giving us shared values and above all a collective identity," says Lutz Bethge, Montblanc Cultural Foundation Chairman. "Without the continued commitment of modern-day patrons of art, this advancement would not be possible in this form, so it is our pleasure to recognise and celebrate their personal commitment with this unique award. Over the past 22 years, the award has committed over 3.5 million euros to cultural projects worldwide."

An active and dedicated philanthropist, Sir Paul Ruddock is closely linked to various charitable institutions, in particular supporting two of London's iconic museums. He is closely involved with the V&A, for whom he has been Chairman since 2007 and a trustee since 2002. It was here that Sir Paul masterminded one of the largest fundraising initiatives Britain has ever seen, leading as a private donor for a £32m project for the renovation of the Medieval & Renaissance Galleries. Additionally, Sir Paul and Lady Jill Ruddock funded the renovation of the European Medieval Gallery at the British Museum and also opened a second gallery in March 2014, The Sir Paul and Lady Ruddock Gallery of Sutton Hoo and Europe 300-1100, an early medieval collection that includes objects from the Sutton Hoo Ship burial in Suffolk. At King Edwards School he and his wife funded with the school the 450 seat Performing Arts Centre, as well as being active supporters of the Donmar Warehouse Theatre and the Mousetrap Theatre Project. Additionally they support research and conservation at the Metropolitan Museum New York, the Courtauld Institute, the National Trust, The Ethiopian Heritage Fund as well as many other projects. Sir Paul is also a long term supporter and ambassador for Afrikids.

Furthermore, Sir Paul Ruddock is Chairman of Gilbert Trust for the Arts, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and a former Trustee of the Samuel Courtauld Trust. He is involved across numerous international art and educational projects; Sir Paul is Trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, serving on the merchandise, acquisitions and external affairs committee and a member of the international Advisory Board of The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland.

"I have always believed in supporting inspirational institutions and inspirational individuals and am very grateful for this prize, which I will donate to the V&A to fund the purchase of a work of art by a contemporary artist," says Sir Paul Ruddock.

Notes to Editors  

- Each year the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award recognises and celebrates the work of outstanding private patrons of the arts in 11 countries worldwide. The winners of the 2014 competition are: China - Liu Yi Qian and Wang Wei: The Long Museum, France - Steve and Chiara Rosenblum: The Rosenblum Collection and Friends, Germany - Heiner and Ulla Pietzsch: The Pietzsch Collection, Italy - Maria Flora Monini: Monini Foundation, Japan - Seiji Ozawa: Seiji Ozawa Ongaku-Juku, Korea - Sam-Koo Park: Kum Ho Asiana Cultural Foundation, Mexico - Alejandro Ramirez Magana: Morelia Film Festival, Russia - Mikhail Piotrovsky: State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, Spain - Helga de Alvear: Helga de Laveur Foundation, USA - Jane Rosenthal: Tribeca Film Festival, United Kingdom - Sir Paul Ruddock: Victoria and Albert Museum

- The international jury for the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award 2014 includes Julia Peyton-Jones, RANKIN and Edward Watson.

- Each winner of the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award receives €15,000 to give to an arts project of their choice and a Limited Edition Patron of the Arts Montblanc fountain pen of that year specially designed and crafted for winners of the Montblanc Awards.

- The Montblanc's Patron of Art Edition Henry E. Steinway is inspired by the man who revolutionized the world of music, dedicating his life to the advancement of the arts. German-born Heinrich Engelhard Steinway (1797 - 1871) built his first pianos in his kitchen, before immigrating to the United States to set up one of the greatest legacies in modern music history. With his countless patents, Steinway pioneered the modern piano and set the high standards that still prevail in piano manufacturing today. Available in two editions, the design of the writing instrument is masterfully shaped by Steinway's vision, celebrating both his remarkable piano innovations, and his outstanding contribution as an influential patron of the arts. He supported many artists through the Steinway Artists' Programme that still promotes musicians today, and he made music accessible to large audiences at the Steinway Hall, once New York City's largest concert venue.