It comes despite BP’s chief executive, Bernard Looney, making efforts to reposition the company as a greener institution.
This month he sped up those plans, saying BP would cut emissions from its products to net zero by 2050 and increase the proportion of cash that it spends on greener products, such as electric vehicle charging, hydrogen and wind power, to 40pc by 2025.
The tie-up with the National Portrait Gallery is one of the long-running partnerships BP struck with four of the UK leading artistic institutions, dating back to the 1990s or earlier. In 2016, it announced a new five-year sponsorship round worth about £7.5m across all four.
Of those, the Royal Shakespeare Company cut ties with the company in 2019 following complaints from young audience members that “amidst the climate emergency … sponsorship is putting a barrier between them and their wish to engage with the RSC.”
BP ended its sponsorship of Tate Britain in 2016, citing a challenging business environment following the oil price crash of 2015.
It remains a sponsor of the British Museum, which backed their relationship on Tuesday, saying the funding helps “support the museum’s mission, providing public benefit for a global audience”.
A spokesman added: “Without external support much programming and other major projects would not happen. The British Museum is grateful to all those who support its work in times of reduced funding.”
A Royal Opera House spokesman, meanwhile, said their partnership is in place until at least next year, adding:”We remain in partnership with BP and are excited to continue our joint work building on the Royal Opera House’s sustainability agenda as we work towards our goal of reaching net carbon zero by 2035.”
BP also remains a sponsor of the Science Museum.
The NPG was not due to hold a Portrait Award this year as it is closed for refurbishment. The award’s future funding is not yet clear, with the Gallery saying it was “considering options for when we re-open and beyond.”
“The Gallery is looking forward to developing the future Portrait Award and is committed to working with artists and continuing to promote portraiture,” a spokesman added.
Society portraitist Justin Mortimer, who painted the Queen in unusual fashion in 1998, and Paul Emsley, who painted the first official portrait of the Duchess of Cambridge, have both been previous winners of the award.
