“It is an incredible honor to serve as a Steward to The Artist’s General Benevolent Institution. The AGBI was founded in 1814 by a group of artists including J.W. Turner and Sir Joshua Reynolds. The mission of the AGBI, for over two hundred years, has been to support professional visual artists who are unable to work due to illness or injury.

As a Steward, my mandate is to uphold and promote the values of generosity, solidarity, and respect that lie at the heart of the AGBI. This means helping to raise awareness of the Institution’s work and encouraging others to contribute to the vital support for artists and their families during times of hardship. To be part of an organization with such a long and compassionate history is a privilege. The AGBI stands as a testament to the creative community’s enduring commitment to care for one another.” – Karen Tompkins, 2025

Learn more about the AGBI and their mission on their website.