THE WOLFSON FOUNDATION GRANTS FOR PERFORMING ARTS ORGANISATIONS (ROUND 1, 2025)
Grants of between £15,000 and £150,000 are available to UK performing arts organisations for new build projects, refurbishment and major and specialist equipment to improve performance and training facilities.
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o Application deadline: SUNDAY 5th JANUARY 2025 at 23:59 for Stage 1 applications. Please refer to the application timetable towards the end of this article.
o Funder: The Wolfson Foundation (the Wolfson Foundation (founded 1955. Charity number 1156077. Total value of all grants awarded during the year ended 31 March 2023: £38,047,000 (2022: £37,516,946; 2021: £35,718,852)).
o Who can apply: UK registered or exempt charities (or equivalent) or local authorities.
o Key words: Capital, Performing Arts, Improving Performance, Rehearsal and Training Facilities, Learning, Conservation, Heritage, Increasing Audience Numbers, United Kingdom.
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The Wolfson Foundation is one of the UK’s major independent grant-making charities, having awarded grants totalling more than £1 billion since it was established in 1955.
The Foundation has just opened a number of its programmes to applications with a deadline of Sunday 5th January 2025 including:
o Hospices and palliative care
o Libraries and archives.
o Performing arts.
o Places, and
o Working with older people.
This article covers the Foundation’s Grants for Performing Arts programme. We’ll be featuring the Foundation’s other grant programmes over the next few weeks.
The Foundation’s Performing Arts programme provides capital funding for performing arts organisations to improve their training and education facilities. It generally award grants towards the building or refurbishment of these facilities, and occasionally towards the purchase of related specialist equipment.
Applying organisations should:
o Be operated by a registered charity or a local authority.
o Be focussed on professional performance and the performing arts should constitute the vast majority, if not the sole focus, of its activities, and
o Be able to make a case for the significance of its education work within the sector. For applicants that operate a venue, the significance of its artistic programme will also be taken into account.
Project proposals should be focussed on improving the quality of training and education facilities and represent a strategic priority for the organisation. Proposals can also have one or more of the following additional aims:
o Better engagement with audiences.
o Increased numbers of participants.
o Improved future sustainability of the organisation, and/or
o Conservation of architectural heritage.
If there is a high level of demand for the programme, the Foundation will prioritise applications from training organisations or large-to-mid scale venues, and projects that concern dedicated facilities for education.
Please note that community and multi-arts centres are unlikely to be eligible for funding through this programme and are encouraged to look instead at the Theatres Trust Wolfson Theatre Improvement Scheme.
The Foundation generally award grants towards:
o The refurbishment of artists’ facilities such as dressing rooms or other backstage spaces.
o The refurbishing of auditorium facilities such as seating and rehearsal spaces, and
o Teaching and education facilities.
The Foundation also occasionally provides grants for specialist equipment.
The minimum grant available is £15,000, while most awards tend to be in the range of £50,000-£150,000. Please note that a matched funding contribution is usually expected for this programme.
Funding is not available for:
o Costs of meetings, exhibitions, concerts, expeditions, conferences, lectures, etc.
o Film, websites or promotional materials.
o Grants direct to individuals.
o Grants through conduit organisations.
o Non-specific appeals (including circulars) and endowment funds.
o Overheads, maintenance costs and VAT.
o Projects that have already been completed or will be by the time of award
o Purchase of land or existing buildings (including a building’s freehold).
o Repayment of loans.
o Running costs, including vehicle fuel and maintenance, or
o Salary costs.
The Foundation has a 2-stage application process with the following key dates:
1. Opened to Stage 1 applications on Wednesday 20th November 2024.
2. Stage 1 application deadline: Sunday 5th January 2025 at 23:59.
3. Stage 2 application deadline: Saturday 1st March 2025 at 23:59.
4. Funding decision: June 2025.
Please note that all applicants are required to register for an account before starting an online application.
The Foundation is happy for applicants to get in touch to discuss a funding proposal before starting an application, and will answer questions about its eligibility criteria or application process, particularly for first-time applicants. This offer applies to all of the Foundation’s grant programmes.
Further information, guidance and details about how to apply is available on the Wolfson Foundation website.
Contact details for the Foundation are:
Grants for Performing Arts Organisations
The Wolfson Foundation
8 Queen Anne Street
London
W1M 9LD
Tel: 020 7323 5730
Email: grants@wolfson.org.uk