On Monday evening, Mark Cornell and Sienna Miller presented the Ambassador Theatre Group’s (ATG) Summer Party at Kensington Palace Gardens, in support of Sam Mendes and his Theatre Artists Fund (TAF) with an auction hosted by Lord Harry Dalmeny, Chairman of Sotheby’s.

The proceeds from the auction will contribute towards the next round of grants, which are now open, enabling the fund to reach more freelance theatre professionals during this early phase of the industry’s recovery from the pandemic.

Theatre Artists Fund was spearheaded by Sam Mendes and launched in July 2020 to provide emergency support for freelance theatre professionals across the UK in need of urgent and critical financial support due to the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the theatre sector. Through generous donations and public fundraising, Theatre Artists Fund has so far supported more than 7,200 industry workers affected by the crisis.

Speaking after this evening’s auction, the Theatre Artists Fund’s founder Sam Mendes said: “I am incredibly grateful to Mark Cornell and everyone at Ambassador Theatre Group for their support this evening in assisting us to raise more urgent money to go towards our fund. It’s down to the extraordinary work of everyone that has donated so far that we have now raised over £7.4 million and, with the ongoing support, we can reopen the grants again. We pledge to continue helping freelance theatre artists in these unprecedented situations while continuing to develop a new and permanent way to empower freelancers for the future.”

The ATG Summer Party in aid of Theatre Artists Fund at Kensington Palace Gardens, was attended by theatre industry figures and supporters who donated generously during the auction, bidding on items including a trip to the set of Sam Mendes’ new film Empire of Light starring Olivia Colman and Michael Ward; a two-night stay at the iconic The Dorchester Hotel; and two top-tier entry passes to the elusive Kit Kat Club, home to the highly anticipated production of Cabaret, starring Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley; two business-class return flights to New York for the opening night of Neil Simon's Plaza Suite, with an exclusive 'meet and greet' photo opportunity with Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker; and a chance to step through the door of the red windmill and experience a first-class full-service hospitality package for ten at the spectacle that is Moulin Rouge! The Musical.

In addition to the auction prizes, Providence Equity Partners, the owners of Ambassador Theatre Group, generously donated a further £25,000 to the fund to achieve a significant total of £90,000 raised for Theatre Artists Fund.

All proceeds raised from the auction at the ATG Summer Party will go directly to Theatre Artists Fund, which is administered by the UK Theatre Association and the Society of London Theatre on behalf of the Theatre Development Trust (TDT).