Gillian and Roderick Deane are Founding Patrons of the Arts Foundation. Gillian offered valuable insight to the working party during the Foundation's conceptual period. With her understanding of the arts and the need for patronage, Gillian helped formulate the vision and the mechanism for achieving the Arts Foundation's business plan.

Gillian and Roderick created the Deane Endowment Trust in memory of their daughter Kristen, to assist and benefit the community and individuals in the fields of the arts and culture, scientific research, education, the environment, disability, and the work of charitable voluntary organisations. The Trust's focus on the arts and culture is by way of sponsorship of a number of exhibitions and publications by a range of art galleries and museums; by the use of scholarships and grants, especially for educational purposes for young singers, musicians, dancers and artists exhibiting outstanding potential; and through donations to a number of classical music and opera organisations particularly those centred in Wellington.