Emin, Rego, Blake and Gormley works auctioned to help ailing artists

When JMW Turner and several of his most acclaimed contemporaries set up a charity to support artists and their families who had fallen on hard times, little did they know that two centuries later some of the biggest names in the contemporary art world would be furthering their cause.

Tracey Emin, Sir Peter Blake and Sir Antony Gormley and some of the biggest names in the British art world will lend their support on Wednesday night to struggling artists by donating works to an auction at Bonhams in London.

The auction, run by the Artists’ General Benevolent Institution (AGBI), will auction off 19 lots donated by the artists.

Tracing its roots to the death of artist John Robert Cozens in 1797, which left his family facing destitution, the charity was set up after Turner called on Royal Academicians to support artists unable to work through illness or injury, as well as their dependants. AGBI came into being with Royal patronage in 1814.

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Brad Feltham, secretary of the charity, said: “They recognised that when Royal Academicians died they were leaving families with little money, so in the benevolent fashion they set up a charitable organisation. Turner especially thought something should be done.” He added: “We don’t really do events and this is really special for us because it’s for our bicentennial anniversary.”

AGBI, which is based at the Royal Academy of Arts in London’s Piccadilly, helped 123 artists and their dependants in the past financial year.

Help comes in the form of support with illness, such as adapting vehicles, equipment and houses following disability, as well as paying utility or mortgage bills in the short term.

Sculptor and AGBI trustee Nicola Hicks said: “Artists can have these lonely, eccentric, glittering lives, and if it goes wrong there’s no one there to help.” She said she hoped the profile of the charity would be raised by the auction.

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What initially focused on support for Royal Academicians was later widened to include all professional artists. Artists including Augustus John, Henry Moore and Sir Hugh Casson have been involved with AGBI’s council and Prince Charles has been Royal patron since 2001.

In the auction brochure, the Prince wrote: “Sadly, all too often, these individuals seem to fall through the official support net when suffering from hardship caused by old age, illness or accident.”

Ms Hicks called the list of supporters and presidents “extraordinary” and added: “The world is changing and we need people to know that we are there.”