The Dirty Patrons: environmental responsibility and museum sponsorship

Over the past two decades, societal pressure over and scrutiny of the ethics ofmuseum funding have grown exponentially, particularly regarding sponsorship from thefossil-fuel industry. This spotlight, fuelled by environmental concerns and accusations of'greenwashing,' has prompted significant changes in museum/oil company relationships. Forinstance, protests by climate activists and artists led to the end, in 2022, of the 30- yearpartnership between BP and the National Portrait Gallery in London. Whilst flagship museumssuch as the Louvre and the British Museum are still renewing oil-funded partnerships, theevolving landscape suggests a growing environmental responsibility in sponsorship models.In order to facilitate an understanding of the ongoing shift, this article explores the impact ofenvironmental and art activism on museum/fossil-fuel connections. By using mainly primarymaterials, it emphasises everyday practice over theoretical analysis, encouraging a reflectionon museums' links with their sponsors, and highlighting ideas of trustworthiness,accountability, financial independence, transparency, ethical decision-making, and social andenvironmental responsibility.