The British School at Rome has fulfilled its mission for 125 years through a combination of public funding and private philanthropy, the balance fluctuating with the economic and political demands of the time.

In the current economic climate, drastic cuts to public funding throughout the higher education and cultural sectors have produced uncertainty for all. The BSR faces a great challenge because we rely on external support for everything not covered by our core grant from the British Academy, which only covers 50% of our costs.

We are unique and small, but BSR scholars, artists, and architects are leaders in the public and private sector throughout the world.

Few institutions enjoy the strong emotional bond that exists between the BSR and our former award holders, and we are counting on this intensely loyal community to help us secure the BSR’s future – through personal support as well as helping to identify sources of support in the many arenas in which our award holders operate.

If we are to ensure the continued excellence and growth of the British School at Rome, we must build on the tradition of combining public money with significant private investment. That is our future.