The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) in London will allow young visitors half-price entry to its exhibitions, after a donation from the art collectors Batia and Idan Ofer.
From 6 March, visitors between the ages of 16 and 25 will be able to view the RA’s temporary exhibitions for half the fee of standard tickets, under a new ticketing scheme titled 25 & Under. A standard ticket is currently £22.
Young visitors will soon able to view temporary exhibitions at the RA including Souls Grown Deep like the Rivers, a group exhibition of Black artists from the American South, opening 17 March. Currently on show is an exhibition titled Spain and the Hispanic World, with a selection of works loaned from the Hispanic Society Museum and Library in New York, including masterpieces by Spanish artists Francisco Goya and Diego Velázquez.
Batia Ofer is a trustee of the Royal Academy Trust. She is married to Idan Ofer, a billionaire businessman from Israel who founded the Eastern Pacific Shipping company. Together, they own what is considered a leading collection of post-war and contemporary art.
Batia Ofer is a trustee of the Royal Academy Trust © Philip Sinden, courtesy RA/Batia Ofer
In addition to her work with the RA, Ofer is a member of Sotheby’s International Council and the founder of Art of Wishes, a charitable initiative that raises money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a US-based charity for children with critical illnesses. Ofer first became involved with the Make-A-Wish foundation after her sister died at the age of 26.
Batia Ofer has a particular interest in German post-war art; her father was a Holocaust survivor and some of her relatives died in Nazi concentration camps in the Second World War.
“I am delighted to be able to support the Royal Academy’s new '25 & Under' scheme. I’m passionate about art and I’m passionate about supporting young people’s access to galleries and museums. I hope this scheme will enable a younger audience to see the world-class exhibitions at the RA,” Batia Ofer says in a statement.
“We are delighted that Batia and Idan Ofer are supporting our '25 & Under' scheme. We are committed to making our exhibitions as accessible as possible and, through this scheme, we look forward to welcoming younger visitors to the RA,” says Rebecca Salter, the RA’s president.