Bank of America : Merrill Lynch Announces Applications Now Open for 2017 Art Conversation Project Grants

Bank of America Merrill Lynch continues to make its mark as one of the world's leading corporate supporters of the arts, and announces that grant applications are now open for the 2017 Bank of America Merrill Lynch Art Conservation Project. The company welcomes and encourages applications from not-for-profit cultural institutions with art requiring conservation. The deadline for submissions is Friday, 21 April and applicants can learn how to apply online at http://museums.bankofamerica.com/arts/Conservation/Apply.

The Bank of America Merrill Lynch Art Conservation Project provides grants to not-for-profit museums throughout the world to conserve historically or culturally significant works of art that are in danger of deterioration, including objects that have been designated as national treasures. Since the programme's inception in 2010, the company has provided grants for more than 100 projects in 29 countries and six continents.

Last year, Bank of America Merrill Lynch awarded grants for the restoration of notable works of art at 21 cultural institutions including: two landscape paintings by Canaletto at the Wallace Collection in London; 'The Blue Boy' (1770) by Thomas Gainsborough at The Huntington Library in San Marino; 548 artefacts from the late Roman and Byzantine periods (fourth to fifteenth centuries) at the Istanbul Archaeological Museum in Turkey; and approximately 100 textiles and related objects from the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University's South and Central Americas collections.

'The Bank of America Merrill Lynch Art Conservation Project helps meet a critical need to conserve and protect significant artwork from around the world that might otherwise be neglected or even irreparably lost,' said Rena DeSisto, global arts and culture executive at the company.

'Each year, we are impressed with the breadth and quality of grant applications we receive, and we look forward to reviewing this year's entries. We remain strong advocates for art conservation because we believe in the power of art to connect people across communities, cultures and countries.'

Previous Art Conservation Project grant recipients in EMEA include:

1. The British Museum, London

2. The National Portrait Gallery, London

3. The Courtauld Gallery, London

4. The Dulwich Picture Gallery, London

5. The Library of Trinity College, Dublin

6. Abbey Theatre, Ireland

7. The Reina Sofía, Spain

8. Castello Sforzesco, Italy

9. The Musée d'Orsay, Paris

10. Musée du Louvre, Paris

11. Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar

12. The Städel Museum, Frankfurt

13. The Neue National Gallery, Berlin

14. Johannesburg Art Gallery, South Africa

15. Kunsthaus Zurich (Museum for Modern Art), Switzerland

Through programmes like the Art Conservation Project, Bank of America Merrill Lynch aims to make an impact on economies and societies throughout the world, and remains one of the world's leading corporate supporters of arts organisations globally.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Bank of America Merrill Lynch's programme of arts support reflects our belief that the arts matter. They help economies to thrive and individuals to connect with each other across cultures, and they educate and enrich societies. Our commitment to the arts is a key element of our responsible growth. Around the world, we support not-for-profit arts institutions that deliver both the visual and performing arts which provide inspirational educational programmes, open access for all communities, create jobs, and are pathways to greater cultural understanding. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about, and connect with us on Twitter @BofAML.

Reporters May Contact:
Elizabeth Wood, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Tel: +44 (0)20 7995 7731
elizabeth.wood@baml.com