Karin Grundy
Originally from Los Angeles, California I have lived in New York City and London. My initial career was in the American wholesale fashion industry, where I worked for 17 years as a Sales Manager for two major womenswear brands. Then looking to expand my horizons, I relocated to London in 2007 to pursue a MA in the History of Art with Courtauld Institute of Art. Once completed I joined the Development Department of London’s Royal Academy of Arts (RA) where I worked for 10 years. While I was in that role, the RA increased Patrons’ revenue to over £1m annually and the number of individual Patrons to over 400. I managed price increases and restructured the offer to create a dynamic programme of events tapping into all the various artistic avenues the RA has to offer; its artists (Royal Academicians, RA Schools students and alumni), incredible exhibition schedule and a rich history of British Art. Additionally, while at the RA, I had the opportunity on two occasions to work in New York City for the American fundraising office, Royal Academy America. In 2014, and from 2018, I managed the office and donor relationships while new teams and strategies were decided. Currently, I am expanding my knowledge of the processes and complexities around Italian philanthropy for the arts, exploring opportunities in Rome and increasing my understanding of the Italian language.
