In the Arts Gatsby has built substantially on the work done by Sir Robert and Lady Lisa Sainsbury, David’s parents, to create the Norman Foster-built Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts (SCVA) at the University of East Anglia, the Sainsbury Research Unit for the Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas (SRU – under the leadership of Professor Steven Hooper) and the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures (SISJAC).  Gatsby’s support has allowed public outreach, academic research and inspired teaching to flourish at these institutions, with acclaimed exhibitions, much sought-after fellowships and outstanding lecture series.

Gatsby has also helped sustain the tradition and quality of Shakespearean theatre in the UK, through substantial support for both the redevelopment of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford and the artists’ development programme at the RSC, which make possible extended rehearsal periods for major productions.

The quest for excellence in the arts has also driven Gatsby’s long-term funding of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Founded in 1981, with musicians from a variety of cultural backgrounds, it has performed internationally and recorded extensively to great critical acclaim.