06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Carnegie medal for arts benefactor Carol Colburn Grigor
The American former concert pianist is the daughter of wealthy inventor Richard D. Colburn, with the family having an estimated net worth of $1.2bn.
Ms Colburn Grigor and the fund have provided millions of pounds worth of grants to charities in the arts and heritage sectors, including the Edinburgh International Festival, National Galleries of Scotland, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, National Library of Scotland and Britain's major opera companies.
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A purpose-built concert hall, the Dunard Centre, is set to be built on St Andrew Square and will be the first in Edinburgh for more than 100 years.
The National Centre for Music, which will be in the former Royal High School building on Calton Hill has also received support from Ms Colburn Grigor.
Both projects are designed to be open and accessible to the wider community, supporting partnerships with Edinburgh schools, and encouraging local people to experience new genres and artforms on their doorstep.
Jo Buckley, chief executive of the Dunard Centre, said: 'I am delighted to see Carol's transformative philanthropy being celebrated on the global stage, and it is especially fitting that this year's ceremony is taking place in Edinburgh, which was Carol's home for many years. It is no exaggeration to say that her longstanding support has helped to make Edinburgh the cultural capital that it is today, with its future assured by her powerful investment in two landmark capital projects, the Dunard Centre and the National Centre for Music.
'Cultural transformation relies on the dogged persistence and determination of visionary individuals, as Andrew Carnegie's legacy has shown us over the past century. As we look to create Edinburgh's first new concert hall in over a century, it is tantalising to think ahead to the exceptional performers it will attract, and the profound economic, social, educational and cultural impact that Carol's philanthropy will have on Scotland for generations to come."
Jenny Jamison, chief executive and creative director of the National Centre for Music, said: 'Carol has been a driving force behind the National Centre for Music.
"Not only has she enabled the preservation of the spectacular old Royal High School buildings which we are transforming into our home, she has also championed the importance of making this a welcoming place where locals and visitors, learners and professionals can enjoy and expand their musical passions every day.
'The National Centre for Music will celebrate and support all genres of music making and will be a place where Scottish musical history is made. Offering new resource and partnership opportunities to Scotland's music sector, it will ensure Scotland continues to be a leader in music and culture across the globe.
"Carol's vision is very much at the heart of this ambition, and we are delighted to see her honoured this week.'
