Artists unite to raise more than £1 million for Kettle’s Yard

Exhibition artists at the opening of Artists for Kettle’s Yard. (Left to right) Kettle’s Yard Director Andrew Nairne, Jethro Buck, Jennifer Lee, Rana Begum, Sunil Gupta, Caroline Walker, Issam Kourbaj, and The Right Honourable Lord Chris Smith, Chancellor of the University of Cambridge Courtesy of Kettle’s Yard. Courtesy of Kettle’s Yard
Published on: 8 September 2026

Alumnus Antony Gormley’s donated sculpture led the auction, raising £450,000 as part of a collective effort to help secure the future of Kettle’s Yard.

Bringing together artists, alumni, and supporters, ‘Artists for Kettle’s Yard’ has raised more than £1 million for the gallery, exceeding its original target of £750,000.  

The exhibition and auction were made possible by the generosity of more than 75 artists, galleries and collectors, who donated works in support of the Jim and Helen Ede Fund Endowment Campaign as the gallery approaches its 70th anniversary in 2027.

A generous gift with a lasting impact 

A standout contribution was Antony Gormley’s (Trinity 1968) cast iron ‘Small Still II’, which sold for £450,000. Gormley studied Archaeology, Anthropology and the History of Art at Cambridge and has maintained strong connections with the gallery and the wider University, with his 2018 exhibition being the most visited in Kettle’s Yard’s history.

Antony Gormley, 2025, 'Small Still II', cast iron
Credit:  Jo Underhill

Antony Gormley (b. 1950, London), SMALL STILL II, 2025. Cast iron.

Gormley’s generosity reflects a commitment to the values that continue to shape Kettle’s Yard. "There’s an underlying democracy at the heart of Kettle’s Yard: a belief that art and life belong together and should be open to all.” ¹

Although modest in size, ‘Small Still II’ represents Gormley’s exploration of the human body’s relation to the world around it. The sculpture exceeded expectations at Sotheby’s Contemporary Day Auction on 25 June 2026, achieving almost double its pre-sale estimate.

Celebrating the past to secure the future 

While Gormley’s sculpture led the auction results, the landmark exhibition represented something much larger: a collaboration between artists, alumni, and supporters to celebrate Kettle’s Yard’s past and help safeguard its future. 

The money raised through Artists for Kettle’s Yard will help us further our mission to contribute to society by inspiring and engaging audiences through art, learning and research of the highest quality.
Andrew Nairne, Director of Kettle’s Yard

Alumnus and artist Edmund de Waal (Trinity Hall 1983) donated his work ‘Tristia’, raising £48,000 at auction. Contemplating the gallery’s uniqueness, de Waal explained, “There is nowhere in the whole of the world that I’ve been in all my travels that has kinship with Kettle’s Yard”.  

Other notable artists, including Lubaina Himid, Issam Kourbaj, Ben Nicholson, Lucie Rie, Megan Rooney, Caroline Walker and Ai Weiwei, also generously donated works to demonstrate their support for Kettle’s Yard.

Two people standing in a gallery space looking at artworks hanging on the wall.
Two individuals standing next to each other in a gallery space at Kettle's Yard looking at artworks on a wall.
Two people standing in a gallery space at Kettle's Yard looking at artworks hanging on the wall.

Andrew Nairne, Director of Kettle’s Yard, reflected on this success. “We are thrilled by these results and beyond grateful to each of the artists who donated their work to Kettle’s Yard.” 

“The money raised through Artists for Kettle’s Yard will help us further our mission to contribute to society by inspiring and engaging audiences through art, learning and research of the highest quality.”    

The funds made a significant contribution to the Jim and Helen Ede Fund Endowment Campaign, bringing Kettle’s Yard much closer to its target. 

This remarkable collective effort will help preserve Kettle’s Yard’s unique history, while ensuring that students, visitors, and alumni can continue to experience this intimate and reflective retreat in the heart of Cambridge.

1. From an interview with Antony Gormley, from the upcoming film A Way of Living: Kettle’s Yard, directed by Chris Vile.

Contact

To find out more about supporting Kettle’s Yard, please contact:

Senior Associate Director, Kettle's Yard