John Studzinski is being honoured for the contributions of the Genesis Foundation – which he founded in 2001 – in nurturing artistic excellence among young artists with the 2017 Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award for the UK, an annual award highlighting the importance of arts patronage in communities around the world. He joins a notable list of past honourees that include HRH The Prince of Wales, British maestro Sir Simon Rattle, Italian architect Renzo Piano and Japanese artist Yoko Ono.

The Montblanc Cultural Foundation assembled an international jury of art influencers to evaluate the nominees, from which winners were chosen from 17 different countries, including John Studzinski. The awards, now in their 26th year, put a focus on the world’s most committed patrons by choosing winners based on their history of personal commitment to the arts and their support to the work of young and emerging artists with a concern that the wider public should benefit from cultural projects and, in particular, the work of young and emerging artists.

John Studzinski will be presented with the Patron of Art Limited Edition 4810 pen – featuring a personalised nib engraving and set inside a steel, sand blasted trophy displaying an angel wing design, symbolic of a patron’s role in nurturing, protecting and fostering the creative work of artists – at the British Award Ceremony on 12 October. He will also be awarded 15,000 Euros to support the work of the Genesis Foundation.

Established by John Studzinski in 2001, the Genesis Foundation works in partnership with the leaders of prestigious UK arts organisations such as LAMDA, the National Theatre, Royal Court, The Sixteen and the Young Vic.  Its largest funding commitment is to programmes that support directors, playwrights, actors and musicians in the early stages of their professional lives.

The theme of art & faith increasingly characterises aspects of the Foundation’s work with choral commissions including James MacMillan’s Stabat mater.