Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Ambrey: Cameroon-flagged tanker issues distress call following explosion abroad, approximately 60NM south of Yemen's Ahwar.
Araghchi: Iran adopted a constructive approach in its engagement to ensure the European Union and the E3 fully honored their commitments and lifted all sanctions.
Araghchi: After a year of Iran’s full compliance with the agreement, it began implementing gradual, proportionate, and reversible compensatory steps in accordance with its recognized rights under the deal.
Araghchi: Iran demonstrated the utmost restraint in the face of repeated and fundamental violations and made extensive efforts to restore balance and preserve the agreement.
In his letter, Araghchi stated: The E3 failed to fulfill their obligations and instead imposed additional illegal sanctions on Iranian individuals and institutions.
Araghchi: These coercive measures constituted a grave violation of international law and the UN Charter, causing severe disruption in the implementation of the agreement.
Araghchi: Washington initially refrained from fulfilling its commitments, then withdrew from the agreement, reimposed its illegal and unilateral sanctions, and even expanded them.
Araghchi: UN Security Council Resolution 2231 has expired and fully ceased to be in effect as of today, in accordance with its explicit provisions.
Iranian Foreign Ministry: Reimposing sanctions on Iran is illegal
Occupied Palestine: Israeli occupation forces raid homes during a raid on the village of Al-Burj, south of al-Khalil

Activists hail end of 27-year BP sponsorship deal with British Museum

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Guardian
  • 3 Jun 2023 14:07
4 Min Read

The victory hailed as "massive" marks a drawback of the fossil fuel giant from the British arts world.

  • x
  • Activists hail end of 27-year BP sponsorship deal with British Museum
    The activist theatre group protest against the sponsorship of the British Museum (AFP)

According to new disclosures, BP’s sponsorship of the British Museum has just ended, closing one of the most controversial deals in the last years and marking the nearly complete retreat of the fossil fuel giant from the British arts world.

The Museum confirmed after its most honest admission so far, gotten through freedom of information requests seen by The Guardian, that no more exhibitions will be sponsored by BP and that "no other contracts or agreements" are being in effect with BP.

The developments were hailed by campaigners and described as a "massive victory" after the 25 years where the Museum’s Great Court has been the scene of environmental protests that were disruptive.

This was a dramatic retreat from BP’s arts, which was, until recently, one of the main sponsors in the UK. Over several years, the Royal Opera House, the Tate, National Portrait Gallery, Royal Shakespeare Company, and Scottish Ballet have all ended funding partnerships of many decades with the energy giant.

Only the Science Museum is still backed by BP, as it funds its education academy.

Since 1996, BP has sponsored the British Museum. The British Museum and BP's most recent five-year contract officially ended in February, but the British Museum and BP have repeatedly refused to make clear that their association was terminated, raising suspicions of a secretive link between the two.

Campaigners are worried that the oil company would be lined up as a prospective backer for the ambitious £1 billion reconstruction project that the Museum is now planning.

Read: BP racks up colossal profits in Q1 amid struggling households

Within the new disclosures acquired by attorneys working for the advocacy group Culture Unstained, the Museum said "certain terms" of the agreement still apply. This is because the Museum orally promised to allow BP to use its "supporter benefits" until the end of 2023.

Related News

UK ready to join Hamas disarmament and Gaza ceasefire mission

George Galloway, wife detained at Gatwick, released without charge

The supporter benefits will not be specified, but they are anticipated to include hospitality benefits, like using the Museum's spaces for business events. This, however, has nothing to do with how the operations of the Museum are paid for.

The Museum just reiterated a previous statement when asked to comment on the disclosures this week, saying that "BP is a valued long term supporter of the museum, and our current partnership runs until this year." As for BP, it did not answer any request for comment.

The news showed a "massive victory" according to Chris Garrard, Culture Unstained’s co-director, who added that "if it is serious about responding to the climate crisis, the museum must now confirm that there will be no future relationships with fossil fuel producers, take down BP’s name from its lecture theatre and roundly reject the climate-wrecking business it represents."

Ahdaf Soueif, the British-Egyptian novelist who resigned in 2019 as a trustee of the Museum, partly in protest at the BP deal, said that "it is important that institutions like the British Museum do not give Big Oil the opportunity to look like a force for good in society; denying them this platform is important."

  • A protest against BP sponsorship at the British Museum in 2015. (AFP)
    A protest against BP sponsorship at the British Museum in 2015 (AFP)

Not only this, but she noted that the institution was "enormously important" and influential – especially among children. 

"At this time of global crisis, which particularly impacts the young, the museum should be directing its weight, its creativity and its resources to helping to create the world the coming generations need to live in," Soueif added.

There have been undertones of embarrassment behind the scenes as protests against the alliance have grown, despite the Museum's constant insistence on the importance of cooperation with BP.

A former regular visitor from Hove, Louise Jolly, wrote to the Museum last month to express her reluctance to bring her kids while it was BP-sponsored.

A reply told her that it was back then "a really great time for you and your children to visit us. These exhibitions are not sponsored by BP and we do not currently have any other exhibitions sponsored by BP."

The Museum’s chair, George Osborne, announced last November a "complete reimagination" of the Museum and said he wanted it to become a net zero institution.

  • Britain
  • Fossil Fuel Production
  • BP
  • Fossil Fuels
  • United Kingdom

Most Read

Iran strikes secret Israeli-US bunker under Tel Aviv high-rise

Tel Aviv high-rise struck by Iran hid Site 81, secret US-Israeli base

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jaafarawi in an undated image in Gaza, occupied Palestine (Social media)

Gaza Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi killed by collaborators

  • Politics
  • 12 Oct 2025
drop site

New report details extensive Israeli arson in Gaza after ceasefire

  • Politics
  • 13 Oct 2025
Illustration of fists breaking shackles, representing the liberation of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons. (Illustrated by: AL Mayadeen English/Batoul Chamas)

4 prominent Palestinian detainees to be freed: Who are they?

  • Palestine
  • 13 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Residents remove debris from a house damaged by Wednesday's two drone strikes, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Afghanistan-Pakistan negotiations to begin in Doha: Exclusive

Palestine Action wins court fight to challenge UK terror ban
Politics

Palestine Action wins court fight to challenge UK 'terror' ban

John Bolton surrenders after classified documents indictment
Politics

John Bolton turns himself in after classified documents indictment

GSF, GMTG slams EU over complicity in Gaza genocide
Politics

GSF, GMTG slam EU over complicity in crimes against Palestinians

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS