Dunard Centre secures $1 million grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York

We’re thrilled to announce that the philanthropic foundation Carnegie Corporation of New York has made a $1 million grant towards the “design and programming of the Dunard Centre Concert Hall”.   

The Carnegie foundation is led by Dame Louise Richardson, former vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford and former principal and vice-chancellor of the University of St Andrews. The organisation was established by the Scottish industrialist Andrew Carnegie in 1911, to manage the bulk of his philanthropic giving. Between 2023 and 2024, it awarded grants totalling $174 million and it is backed by an endowment valued at around $4.5 billion. 

The grant adds to the record figure raised, in capital funding terms, for a cultural project in Scotland. The Dunard Centre has so far leveraged £25 million in public investment – through Edinburgh’s City Region Deal – to attract more than £80m in private donations, including £35 million from philanthropist Carol Colburn Grigor’s Dunard Fund. 

Economic and social impact

The funding boost comes at an exciting time for the Dunard Centre project. With construction poised to begin later this year, a recently commissioned report has revealed the significant economic and social impact the venue will deliver. The Centre’s operations are projected to generate £169.4 million in gross value added (GVA) over its first 20 years, supporting nearly 300 jobs in the process. Based on an estimated 200,000 visitors annually, it’s also projected that the hall will increase tourism spending in Edinburgh and the surrounding region by £8.6m a year.  

Our social engagement plan sets out an ambition to become a UK cultural sector leader in increasing access to the arts and engaging with underserved groups. Some 17,000 people are expected to benefit from our wide-ranging community engagement programme each year, with new opportunities created for skills development leading to improved workplace pathways. 

A shared vision

Chief executive Jo Buckley commented:

“We are hugely grateful for this grant, which recognises both the global significance of the Dunard Centre and the role it will play in enriching the lives of local people, by giving them greater access to the arts. The money will help us develop and advance our engagement strategy, which is a vital element of our mission to create a ‘Hall for All’ here in Edinburgh. 

“With a focus on supporting civic participation and socioeconomic mobility, we intend to build trusted relationships, design thoughtful creative engagement programmes, and establish the team that will bring this work to life when we open our doors in 2029.   

“We look forward to the opportunity of exploring and sharing the parallels between the transformational philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie – and the mark this left upon the world – and the various ways civic society benefits from the provision of outstanding performance and lifelong engagement with music.”