National Portrait Gallery criticised over choice of sponsor to replace BP
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent from Environment | The Guardian on (#6GB89)
New portrait prize sponsor, the law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, has represented the oil company
Climate campaigners have accused the National Portrait Gallery of jumping out of the reputational frying pan straight into the reputational fire" after it announced its replacement sponsor for BP is a law firm that has represented the fossil fuel company.
The gallery said last year it was ending its 30-year partnership with BP after a lengthy campaign against its relationship with the oil and gas company. On Monday, it announced that the new sponsor for its portrait prize, one of the UK's most prestigious art prizes, formerly known as the BP portrait award, would be Herbert Smith Freehills.
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