The Backstage Trust was established in 2012 to focus on encouraging live art - mainly the performing arts and music - to flourish, particularly in an environment where government support and understanding of the difficulties facing the sector is limited.
The Trust’s main areas of support are:
o Consultant advice to help with professional development of small-scale arts organisations.
o Assisting live arts projects involving disadvantaged children and young people.
o Feasibility studies for capital projects, and
o Consultant advice on fundraising/case for support, recruiting and the development of staff.
Although the Trust’s major investment in capital projects is restricted, it is able to help an organisation make progress with a project by funding aspects of the work which are critical but lack conventional donor-appeal, for example:
o Accessible toilets.
o Leaking roofs.
o Guidance on fund-raising, and
o Replacing worn-out but vital mandatory equipment.
The Trust has continued to promote schemes to assist the huge community of freelancers who are self-employed and mostly fall outside any government help scheme
The majority of grants awarded since the Trust was established fall under one of the following headings:
o Assisting live arts projects (not all in the UK) which encourage community participation, and equality, particularly in under-represented areas.
o Encouraging new writing.
o Encouraging the involvement of young people in the performing arts.
o Giving advice on feasibility studies for capital projects, and guidance on project management.
o Funding elements (particularly the less appealing items) of capital projects.
o Providing advice on fundraising and helping to create a fundraising strategy.
o Providing help with professional development of small and medium-scale arts organisations, helping encourage diversity and remove barriers, and
o Providing support to the arts’ freelance community.
Applicants need to demonstrate the viability of their project clearly, and show that their organisation can evidence good management, and supportive governance to deliver the project.
The Trust will want to see proof of a convincing and realistic fundraising strategy. Although Backstage might award funding, a matched funding contribution is often required.
A critical need for most small arts organisations — in addition to enthusiasm, energy and a determination to make a difference — is professional advice. Backstage can sometimes fund the cost of appropriate consultant advice, allowing an organisation to benefit from help which would otherwise be beyond their means. All applications that meet the funding criteria are considered carefully.
During the year ended 5 April 2022, the Trust approved 88 grants totalling of £4,513,970. This comprised of 3 grants totalling £374,950 for COVID-19 emergency support and a further 85 grants totalling £4,139,020 covering core and project support and for capital programmes.
The Trust does not maintain a website. Further information is, however, available on the Charity Commission website.
Applications may be made at any time in writing. The Trust meets twice during the year to make grants and to review investments.
Contact details for the Trust are:
Ms Helen Cave
Administrator
The Backstage Trust
North House
27 Great Peter Street
London
SW1P 3LN
Tel: 020 7072 4498
Email: info(at)backstagetrust.org.uk
