In Search of Hope: A Conversation with John Nickson and Caroline Underwood OBE

What role can philanthropy play in rebuilding hope, trust and social impact?

At a time when many organisations are facing social, economic and political uncertainty, philanthropy has an increasingly important role to play in rebuilding hope, trust and civic engagement.

Join John Nickson and Caroline Underwood OBE for a conversation exploring giving, leadership, culture and the future of philanthropy.

Watch the online discussion from Thursday 25th June 2026.

After a distinguished career as a professional fundraiser, John Nickson became an evangelist for philanthropy and civil society. Born in 1947 into the Lancashire family that funded and built The Blackpool Tower, he was not brought up to be charitable. A near-death experience in his twenties and supporting a teenage survivor of the Rwandan genocide reshaped his belief that prosperity should be shared. He led fundraising at Tate, the Royal Academy of Arts and English National Opera, has served as trustee, adviser, mentor and donor, and co-founded a venture philanthropy fund.

John is a leading fundraiser and philanthropist and his memoir about money, power and the common good traces his journey from privilege to purposeful giving, showing how philanthropy,  civil society and ordinary citizens can repair divided Britain and renew hope.

Drawing on themes from In Search of Hope, this discussion will examine how philanthropy can respond to today’s social and cultural challenges.

You can read more about John’s book and purchase directly from Amazon:

Critical acclaim for John’s book:

“ I have immensely enjoyed reading IN SEARCH OF HOPE- as an account of John Nickson’s own journey as both a fundraiser and donor and also the challenge to keep private wealth engaged with the arts. Unlike in America, a culture of giving has never caught on here. It is professionals like John, and the very few like him, who keep the hope alive.

I was equally entranced by the vanities that flourished at ENO and the RA. Give a fool a title and he will use it to ill effect. We have seen so many awful appointments in the arts- avoidable disasters as John describes- that the survival of the arts reads like the Battle of Britain, a few brave souks in tin crates against overwhelming odds”.

Norman Lebrecht, Critic, Author and Broadcaster