Royal Academy Schools Auction Celebrity Launch

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel Opens To Public

The Royal Academy Schools Annual Auction, now in it’s in its fourth year featured Artist Grayson Perry and Actor John Hurt CBE as special guest speakers. The real star of the evening however, was the inauguration of the St Pancras Renaissance London Hotel, which after years of careful restoration, is being hailed as the city’s most impressive Victorian building. This London hotel features glorious Gothic Revival metalwork, gold leaf ceilings, hand- stencilled wall designs and the grand staircase, which is as dazzling as the day Queen Victoria opened the hotel in 1873. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott to receive travellers through St Pancras Station; the former Midland Grand Hotel offered its guests a world of grandeur, luxury and fantasy behind its fairy-tale red facade.

This exclusive black tie fundraising event saw auctioneer Lord Poltimore (Deputy Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe) at the podium. The works on offer were as eclectic as the former students that donated the paintings, sculpture, drawings and prints. High profile Royal Academicians, including Tracey Emin RA, Ken Howard RA, Gary Hume RA and Maurice Cockrill RA and recent RA Schools graduates including Nicola Carvell who generously donated over 40 works for the auction.

300 people were in attendance in celebration, and in aid of, the Royal Academy Schools. All funds raised went to the Schools Endowment Fund to support the running costs of the Schools which remains non fee paying.

Lily Cole,Tracey Emin RA, Mariella Frostrup, Alexia Goethe, Nicola Horlick, Ken Howard RA, Helena Morrissey, Michael Petry, Stuart Rose and Tyrone Wood were also in attendance.

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