A Bloomsbury Evening at the National Portrait Gallery

THE CHARLESTON TRUST CELEBRATES A BLOOMSBURY EVENING

The Charleston Trust celebrated ‘A Bloomsbury Evening’ in aid of the Charleston Centenary Project, at the National Portrait Gallery in London last night.

Guests, including Sir Christopher Ondaatje, Burberry Chief Creative and Chief Executive Officer Christopher Bailey, Virginia Nicholson, granddaughter of Vanessa Bell and Nigel Newton, Founder and CEO of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc were invited to a reception in the Ondaatje Wing of the National Portrait Gallery with a private viewing of the Virginia Woolf: Art, Life and Vision exhibition by Curator, Professor Frances Spalding, CBE, followed by an intimate dinner in the 17^th and 18^th Century Galleries and a silent auction and readings by British author and playwright Alan Bennett.

The event raised over £170,000 including proceeds from the auction of some uniquely Charleston collectors items – A first edition of ‘The Waves’ by Virginia Woolf, an original watercolour Dorset painting by Duncan Grant and three beautiful original drawings by Quentin Bell amongst many other generously donated gifts.

The event and the Charleston Centenary Project have been supported by British luxury fashion brand Burberry whose recent Autumn/Winter 2014 womenswear collection, entitled ’The Bloomsbury Girls’, took its inspiration from the decorative art of Charleston and the Bloomsbury group.

Speaking about the event, Alistair Burtenshaw, Director at The Charleston Trust said “This event perfectly brought together many friends that passionately support Charleston from the worlds of literature, fashion, television and the visual arts.  We are delighted that the event raised such a significant amount towards the Charleston Centenary Project”.

Virginia Woolf : Art, Life and Vision – National Portrait Gallery until 26 October 2014 www.npg.org.uk/virginiawoolf