The donation will form the cornerstone of the fundraising campaign and in recognition, the Cottesloe Theatre will be renamed the Dorfman Theatre when the redevelopment program is completed. In a press statement, Dorfman – founder and chairman of Travelex, who since 2003 has sponsored the theatre's annual Travelex £10 scheme – who is also a member of the National Theatre's board, has commented, "I am a huge fan of the energy and innovation the National has achieved in recent years and am delighted to lead from the front in supporting its NT Future redevelopment. I have been privileged to play a leading role at the National Theatre over the past eight years, in particular with the pioneering Travelex £10 Tickets season which has made world class drama more affordable and accessible for increasingly large audiences. Last year the National was responsible for 30 percent of the play-going across London theatre as a whole; following the introduction of Sunday performances and National Theatre Live, NT Future is the next step in the National's constant aim of welcoming new audiences and bringing them closer to the theatre – both the work on stage and behind the scenes. Individual and corporate support is vital to building on London’s leadership in the arts and I hope others will join me in wanting to build on the National’s role at the heart of modern theatre and sustaining it long into the future."

The stated aim of NT Future is to enable the National Theatre to rise to the challenge of the next 50 years. According to a press statement, "We want to open Denys Lasdun’s building up – to audiences, passers-by and the local community – and to contribute to the regeneration of the South Bank; to transform the National’s facilities for education and participation; and to keep ahead of new technologies and meet the changing needs of theatre artists and audiences. We want to achieve this alongside environmental and financial sustainability."

The partnership between Travelex and the National Theatre began in 2003 and was renewed for a further three years from 2010; 1.1 million Travelex £10 tickets have been sold since 2003, with the seasons playing to a total audience of 1.7 million at an average of 90 percent capacity.