The distinguished art dealer and major arts patron Philip Bacon AM has been named 2019’s Leading Philanthropist, the highest honour presented by the Australian Philanthropy Awards. Taking into account recent philanthropic contributions and achievements, the award is given to an individual whose work is deemed “visionary, high impact and transformative”. By presenting Bacon with the award, Philanthropy Australia celebrates his legacy of advancing art in Australia through targeted giving, leadership and encouragement of others. Bacon is the subject of Limelight’s My Music column for August.

Philip Bacon. Photo supplied

Accepting the Leading Philanthropist Award at a ceremony held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales on Monday night, Bacon said “we all give, or enable others to give, so that the great work of our artists and performers, our researchers and doctors, our teachers and scientists can continue.”

“For me, the arts are at the centre of my world. I believe utterly in their importance and know how bereft we would all be if art stopped being made, music wasn’t heard, plays weren’t performed, little girls stopped being taken to the ballet by their grandmothers, and the Sydney Opera House became a...