Established in 2022 , The Hugo Burge Foundation is a charitable organisation dedicated to supporting creativity in all its forms across the UK. In 2025 the Foundation distributed over £400,000 of grant funding to individuals, communities, organisations and public art projects.
We oversee a large studio pottery, a state-of-the-art silversmithing workshop, a printmaking studio and a traditional chairmaking workshop, along with stewardship of a carefully re-imagined walled garden and a nationally important collection of modern British art. The Foundation provides free workspaces on its site in the Scottish Borders and offers funded residencies throughout the year. In the summer of 2026 we will open a new creative hub in the town of Earlston, offering subsidised studios and community spaces.
We are passionate about widening access to the arts. Our grant funding supports creative education, apprenticeships in heritage crafts, and major public artworks. We also provide opportunities for young people and community groups to explore and fulfil their creative potential.
Rooted in a spirit of heartfelt, sustainable philanthropy, the Foundation offers a welcoming space for creative exploration and collaboration. If you’re seeking funding, looking for a residency or searching for a partner in creative programming, we invite you to join us in shaping a better, more imaginative future.
About Hugo
Hugo Burge (1972-2023) was a British entrepreneur, philanthropist and patron of the arts who dedicated the last decade of his life to creating a cultural hub in the Scottish Borders.
In January 2022 he established The Marchmont Makers Foundation to support local makers, champion heritage crafts, and expand access to the arts. Following his death in 2023, the Foundation was renamed in his memory.
The Hugo Burge Foundation exists to continue his legacy. We believe in the transformative power of creativity both for individuals and communities, and aim to sustain the courageous, heartfelt spirit that Hugo brought to everything he touched.
Team
Lucy Brown
Chief Executive Officer
Lucy is an experienced arts and business professional who has lead the Foundation since its launch in January 2022. Her motivation is to make a difference to people, organisations and society through investing in the arts with courage and care. She believes everyone can benefit from creativity no matter who they are or where they come from. Lucy is also Co-Chair of Garvald Edinburgh, a charity which provides social therapy via creativity for learning disabled adults.
Dr James Fox is an art historian, writer, curator and multi award-winning, BAFTA-nominated, broadcaster. He believes in the power of creativity to transform lives for the better. His most recent book, Craftland: In Search of Britain's Vanishing Trades, was published in 2025 by The Bodley Head.
Emma joined HBF while finishing her doctorate in British and American literature. She's eager to work on projects related to community engagement, supporting marginalised voices in creative and cultural contexts, as well as research that questions societal views of these spaces.
Toby began his horticultural career in 1996 and despite all the years of experience, still considers himself a novice gardener. He’s responsible for the running of the walled garden and surrounding areas, including its planning and development. His main influence comes from arts and crafts gardens. He likes using colour and especially texture to create inspiring planting schemes.
Laura developed her love for plants through working as a florist for 10 years. As a gardener at Marchmont, she uses this love of plants to manage the cut flower borders and the displays in the glasshouses. She also enjoys drying and pressing flowers to provide material for other creative projects connected to the garden.
Nick has a strong background in project management and team working in the fast-paced world of Formula One. He joined HBF to pursue working in an environment that supports and nurtures communities. Nick takes good care of all our tenants, visitors and artists in residence along with managing the beautifully restored studio spaces at Marchmont and our new Earlston Campus.
Although Shaun’s background is in gamekeeping, since coming to Marchmont in 2017, he has played a major role in the development of the garden. His main passion is mowing the grass and making sure the garden and grounds are kept neat and tidy. Shaun is also responsible for managing the Marchmont Beehives and proudly looks after 5 hives.
Veronica is a Chartered Librarian, spending more than 30 years in; Public, School, Health, and University Libraries. Specialising in management of Staff, Technologies, Buildings and Projects. She feels that she brings a wealth of knowledge to the HBF team and hopes they will benefit from her administrative skills.
Growing food was Martin’s initial motivation to enter horticulture. Completing his RHS Level 2 Diploma in Horticulture in Harrogate, York and Edinburgh, he gained experience in amenity settings since 2012. However, his curiosity about people led him to learn from everybody and a little bit about everything! He has just enough knowledge to be dangerous at veg growing, machinery, forestry, glasshouse work, garden design, community management, composting, ecology and conservation... you name it! He is happiest among fellow enthusiasts, whatever their obsession may be. He cares deeply about the natural world and wants to leave behind a better world than the one we have found.
Charlie has a degree in Blacksmithing and has successfully turned her hand to horticulture over the last few years. Her main role is managing the vegetable garden which is a very important part of the Marchmont walled garden. She has a real passion for propagating plants and loves looking after the glasshouses – a great combination!
Clare is a biology graduate and Chartered Accountant, with a career background of financial and administrative experience in the corporate banking and residential property sectors. Working on the day-to-day finances of the Foundation, she enjoys providing the practical support that allows creative work to flourish. Clare is a keen advocate for the Foundation’s mission to support developing artists and is excited to contribute to an organisation with such a clear and positive impact.
Alan is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years’ experience holding senior management roles in a wide range of businesses primarily in media and technology. Alan first met Hugo in 2011 when working for 6 years as CFO of Momondo Group, a travel search business where Hugo was the CEO. Alongside Hugo, Alan helped to substantially grow revenues, integrate a significant overseas acquisition, and led the sale of the business to Booking Holdings in 2017. Hugo and Alan then established Marchmont Ventures in 2018 to invest in and support high-growth, disruptive technology businesses and manage a large portfolio of public and private market assets. Alan is also a founding trustee of The Hugo Burge Foundation and holds directorships for Motorway Online Limited, GetAgent Limited, The Float Yard Limited, Bird Sunglasses Limited and CheckMyBus GmbH. Alan hopes that the Foundation will help to inspire creativity in as many people, young and old, as possible and truly make a difference to their lives.
Alice is an award-winning curator and art historian who specialises in modern and contemporary art. She is also an Associate Director of Lyon & Turnbull fine art auctioneers. She knew Hugo and worked with him on various art events including those celebrating modern sculpture, women artists and the Scottish Colourists. For twenty-two years, Alice was a Senior Curator at the National Galleries of Scotland. She was part of the team responsible for acquisitions, permanent collection displays, major loan exhibitions and accompanying publications covering Scottish, British and European art during the period from 1890 to the present day. She was made a Saltire Society Outstanding Woman of Scotland for her leadership of the landmark Modern Scottish Women: Painters & Sculptors 1885-1965 project and is a BBC Expert Woman. Alice regularly lectures and publishes about her areas of expertise. Alice is a Trustee of the Lund Humphries Foundation for the Visual Arts and the Scottish Society for Art History, as well as a committee member of the Harry & Margery Boswell Collection of Scottish Art at the University of St Andrews. She is a member of the Scottish Women and the Arts Research Network and the Barbara Hepworth Research Network. Alice was part of the team responsible for the Makers & Creators: Selected Works from the Hugo Burge Collection fundraising auction, held to support the aims of the Foundation and was a co-curator of the exhibition A Collector’s Passion: Modern British Art from the Hugo Burge Foundation Collection.
In 2025 Alice was the recipient of a Foundation Writer’s Residency to support the writing of a book about the Scottish Colourists for the National Galleries of Scotland. It is due to be published in late 2026.
Starting out in community education 30 years ago, Hazel set up, developed and managed organisations and projects combatting exclusion and inequality working with third sector and public sector services and economic development agencies. Much of the work has focused on children, young people and women: managing Youth Agencies and Women onto Work in Edinburgh; working with the European Commission on research and development projects that promoted women’s and young people’s participation in education, enterprise and employment. Eight years ago, after a stint volunteering in rural Senegal with women and children’s charities, she returned to Berwickshire and set-about developing social enterprises that supported women and families. One of those enterprises has won numerous awards for promoting egalitarian values and empowering vulnerable women to be leaders in their lives and communities. She is a former Board Member of a number of charities working on behalf of women, children and other disadvantaged groups and currently holds a public appointment with the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration. Hazel is a former care-experienced child and young person and someone whose career path has primarily focused on working with disadvantaged groups and communities. That commitment was informed by her first 18 years in care; starting out youthwork in her late teens through to setting-up and managing local, regional and national initiatives that focused on equality, inclusion, wellbeing and care for those who are most vulnerable, including our children and young people. She is currently developing a legacy of 130 registered tartans, including the “Tartans for Africa Collection,” bequeathed by a talented philanthropist, David McGill – under the banner of Tartans for Social and Humanitarian Good.
Dominic is a property developer and business leader with over 25 years’ experience in regeneration, investment, and strategic growth. He is the Founder and Managing Director of Goold Estates, a Midlands based company specialising in occupier focused industrial and logistics development, with a strong track record in regenerating brownfield sites.
Dominic began his career in finance before taking on the turnaround of two long established craft businesses, returning them to profitability and leading their successful sale. Since founding Goold Estates in 2008, he has delivered multiple major regeneration projects, including a 20 year joint venture with a FTSE 250 developer and built lasting relationships with occupiers and public stakeholders.
Dominic and Hugo met whilst at university in the 1990’s and were friends for 30 years.
Alan is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years’ experience holding senior management roles in a wide range of businesses primarily in media and technology. Alan first met Hugo in 2011 when working for 6 years as CFO of Momondo Group, a travel search business where Hugo was the CEO. Alongside Hugo, Alan helped to substantially grow revenues, integrate a significant overseas acquisition, and led the sale of the business to Booking Holdings in 2017. Hugo and Alan then established Marchmont Ventures in 2018 to invest in and support high-growth, disruptive technology businesses and manage a large portfolio of public and private market assets. Alan is also a founding trustee of The Hugo Burge Foundation and holds directorships for Motorway Online Limited, GetAgent Limited, The Float Yard Limited, Bird Sunglasses Limited and CheckMyBus GmbH. Alan hopes that the Foundation will help to inspire creativity in as many people, young and old, as possible and truly make a difference to their lives.
Alice is an award-winning curator and art historian who specialises in modern and contemporary art. She is also an Associate Director of Lyon & Turnbull fine art auctioneers. She knew Hugo and worked with him on various art events including those celebrating modern sculpture, women artists and the Scottish Colourists. For twenty-two years, Alice was a Senior Curator at the National Galleries of Scotland. She was part of the team responsible for acquisitions, permanent collection displays, major loan exhibitions and accompanying publications covering Scottish, British and European art during the period from 1890 to the present day. She was made a Saltire Society Outstanding Woman of Scotland for her leadership of the landmark Modern Scottish Women: Painters & Sculptors 1885-1965 project and is a BBC Expert Woman. Alice regularly lectures and publishes about her areas of expertise. Alice is a Trustee of the Lund Humphries Foundation for the Visual Arts and the Scottish Society for Art History, as well as a committee member of the Harry & Margery Boswell Collection of Scottish Art at the University of St Andrews. She is a member of the Scottish Women and the Arts Research Network and the Barbara Hepworth Research Network. Alice was part of the team responsible for the Makers & Creators: Selected Works from the Hugo Burge Collection fundraising auction, held to support the aims of the Foundation and was a co-curator of the exhibition A Collector’s Passion: Modern British Art from the Hugo Burge Foundation Collection.
In 2025 Alice was the recipient of a Foundation Writer’s Residency to support the writing of a book about the Scottish Colourists for the National Galleries of Scotland. It is due to be published in late 2026.
Starting out in community education 30 years ago, Hazel set up, developed and managed organisations and projects combatting exclusion and inequality working with third sector and public sector services and economic development agencies. Much of the work has focused on children, young people and women: managing Youth Agencies and Women onto Work in Edinburgh; working with the European Commission on research and development projects that promoted women’s and young people’s participation in education, enterprise and employment. Eight years ago, after a stint volunteering in rural Senegal with women and children’s charities, she returned to Berwickshire and set-about developing social enterprises that supported women and families. One of those enterprises has won numerous awards for promoting egalitarian values and empowering vulnerable women to be leaders in their lives and communities. She is a former Board Member of a number of charities working on behalf of women, children and other disadvantaged groups and currently holds a public appointment with the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration. Hazel is a former care-experienced child and young person and someone whose career path has primarily focused on working with disadvantaged groups and communities. That commitment was informed by her first 18 years in care; starting out youthwork in her late teens through to setting-up and managing local, regional and national initiatives that focused on equality, inclusion, wellbeing and care for those who are most vulnerable, including our children and young people. She is currently developing a legacy of 130 registered tartans, including the “Tartans for Africa Collection,” bequeathed by a talented philanthropist, David McGill – under the banner of Tartans for Social and Humanitarian Good.
Dominic is a property developer and business leader with over 25 years’ experience in regeneration, investment, and strategic growth. He is the Founder and Managing Director of Goold Estates, a Midlands based company specialising in occupier focused industrial and logistics development, with a strong track record in regenerating brownfield sites.
Dominic began his career in finance before taking on the turnaround of two long established craft businesses, returning them to profitability and leading their successful sale. Since founding Goold Estates in 2008, he has delivered multiple major regeneration projects, including a 20 year joint venture with a FTSE 250 developer and built lasting relationships with occupiers and public stakeholders.
Dominic and Hugo met whilst at university in the 1990’s and were friends for 30 years.
