General Funding
Help Musicians | Funding Wizard
- Help Musicians is an independent UK charity for professional musicians of all genres, from starting out through to retirement
- There’s funding out there but it takes some tracking down – Help Musicians' 'Funding Wizard' is a quick way to find opportunities relevant to you...
Awards for Young Musicians (AYM)
- Supporting young musicians from low income families: with funding and other help
- Supporting music education: through training, advocacy and research
- Through the Awards Programme, AYM support more than 200 young instrumentalists, songwriters, composers and producers each year, with funding and other help to develop their musical potential
Music For All
- Music for All is dedicated to changing lives across the UK by improving access to music making
- Individual grants available at certain times
Countess of Munster Trust
Since 1958 the Trust has worked to make a real and significant contribution to the advancement of talented young musicians. Well-respected within the musical world, the current work of the Trust has five main strands:
- Study Awards providing up to £240,000 of funding each year to help support individual classical musicians through their postgraduate musical education and jazz musicians through their postgraduate or final year of undergraduate education
- Stephen Oliver Award given every other year to a composer who has written a work of music theatre, to assist with the cost of bringing that work to performance
- Instrument Purchase Loans to former beneficiaries who are on the threshold of their careers, to help with the purchase of musical instruments
- Recital Scheme which offers sponsorship to a number of outstanding artists each year to perform at selected music clubs, choral and orchestral societies and festivals around the country
- LSSO Munster Trust Scholars: the Trust provides funding to help support a number of outstanding young musicians to attend the courses, concerts and tour organised by the London Schools Symphony Orchestra
Drake Calleja Trust
- The Drake Calleja Trust financially and artistically supports talented young musicians studying in the UK
- They award scholarships annually and provide regular performance opportunities
- Scholarships are open to classical solo instrumentalists, accompanists and singers of all nationalities aged 18 and above
- They also award Junior Scholarships for musicians aged 16-18
Humphrey Richardson Taylor Charitable Trust
The Humphrey Richardson Taylor Charitable Trust was established in 1997 for the 'Advancement of public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of Music and allied performing arts.'
Typically, help may be given to the following:
Schools
- Music-related capital projects
- Purchase of instruments
- Music computers and software
- Scores and sheet music
- Funding of concerts for special occasions
- Part-funding of instrumental tuition
Musical Societies and Organisations
- Annual grants towards the cost of funding live concerts
Individuals
- Music-related undergraduate studies: scholarship funding
- Music-related postgraduate studies: scholarship funding
- Grants towards fees
- Grants towards purchase of instruments
Hattori Foundation
Offering awards to exceptionally talented young instrumental soloists or chamber ensembles whose talent and achievements give promise of an international career. Financial assistance towards travelling expenses to attend national or international competitions, masterclasses within the UK or abroad and specific assistance in the case of hardship.
- Senior Awards (21-27 year olds) are awarded on an annual basis with auditions normally taking place in June
- Junior Awards (15-20 year olds) are available on an ongoing basis (they can be applied for at any time)
The Wrightson Trust
- Hoping to benefit those 11+ to 18 years of age
- Usual disbursements include payment for instrumental lessons, assistance with choir/orchestra tour fees, music colleges etc
- Scales of assistance vary according to circumstances and requirement
- To date distributions have ranged between £100 and £800
- They prefer to make payment to teachers/instrument dealers/music colleges direct
- Grants can be made either as "one offs" or reviewable annually for a specified period of time
- Three grants are normally the maximum
Location Specific
London Music Fund
- The London Music Fund has three programmes: Scholarships, Partnerships and Amplify London
- In collaboration with the 30 London borough Music Education Hubs, they work with schools, community music providers and professional music organisations across London to develop musical opportunities for children and young people
Harpenden Music Foundation
- Bursaries up to £1,000 are available to assist with musical costs such as music course fees and lessons, with the proviso that the applicant might be asked to contribute towards the cost of the course/lessons
- Beneficiary must reside in a Hertfordshire postcode, or Luton Unitary Authority
- No minimum age; up to post-graduate level
The Macfarlane Walker Trust
- Donations for musical instrument purchase for music students (18), but not tuition fees/living expenses
- Preference for Cheltenham and Gloucestershire
- Grants to individuals/projects where they can make a significant contribution
Call: 0208 858 4701
Ed Sheeran Suffolk Music Foundation
- The Ed Sheeran Suffolk Music Foundation is a charitable music foundation which aims to help young people under the age of 18, and living in Suffolk (UK), with small but useful grants to help with studying or playing music
- These grants could be used for almost anything, such as buying an instrument, funding your music studies, or paying for rehearsal space
Help with Instruments
Cherubim Trust
- The purpose of the Cherubim Music Trust is to enable aspiring musicians to fulfil their potential by loaning professional quality instruments to undergraduate and postgraduate students, and young gifted musicians
- In addition the Trust also offers practical support and performance opportunities to help awardees build their portfolio
Harrison-Frank Family Foundation
- The Harrison-Frank Family Foundation is a charitable organization which owns a collection of fine violins and bows available for loan to talented young players
- The violin programme is designed for young violinists living and working in the UK, who will be finishing their studies and going into the professional concert world
Maggini Foundation (Professional level)
- The Maggini Foundation has many high-quality string instruments to provide
- They can all be rented out to relatively low rental fees for short or long periods of time
- At the moment, the Foundation holds some 40 celli, 80 violins and 10 violas, among them are some baroque-instruments, which can be rented out to musicians for concerts, competitions, CD/DVD-recordings, radio and TV recordings or rehearsals for orchestras
Felicity Belfield Music Trust
- This Trust was formed in 1990 to enable students to have an instrument worthy of their talents, which they would otherwise be unable to afford
- Students up to the age of 20 can apply
- Instruments are loaned to students until they are 25 when the instrument must be returned or purchased from the Trust
- Students should be able to prove exceptional talent and financial need. A reference is required from the applicant's music teacher
N.B. Please note that the Trust can only help with instruments, not with study costs or any other fees
Contact: Felicity Belfield
Address: 3 French Mill Rise, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8HS
Telephone: 01747 853 250
Email: info@felicitybelfieldmusictrust.co.uk
Music Courses
Aldeburgh Young Musicians
- Aldeburgh Young Musicians (AYM) is a progressive artist development programme for musicians aged 10-18, based at Snape Maltings Concert Hall
- Part of the national network of Centres for Advanced Training, Aldeburgh Young Musicians facilitates the musical development of over 50 passionate young people, unlocking their potential through a range of inspirational and immersive residential courses and additional activities
- Members of AYM have access to some of the best musical training on offer, collaborating with expert professional musicians and like-minded peers to explore a diverse range of musical styles and approaches
- Through interactive musical activities with an emphasis on autonomy, AYMs are encouraged to innovate as their creative selves.
brittenpearsarts.org/take-part/artists/aldeburgh-young-musicians
Maiastra
The Trust was founded by Aidan Woodcock, a former member of the London Symphony Orchestra, and a pupil of Max Rostal.
The main objective of the Trust is to provide courses for advanced students in the performance of chamber music. The participants will normally be at postgraduate level and planning to make chamber music their career or a part of their career.
Musicworks
- MusicWorks was founded in order to provide the highest possible level of chamber music experience for young musicians
- They run a series of five courses throughout the year which are designed for young musicians at different stages in their discovery and exploration of chamber music, from playing a string quartet for the first time through to advanced study of late Beethoven
- During MusicWorks courses students have the chance to explore the great masterpieces of the repertoire with guidance from a team of international performers
Professional Development & Performance Opportunities
Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT)
Each year, hundreds of young musicians from around the world apply to become YCAT Artists through an open audition process. Selected artists receive:
- Management - 3-5 years of developmental and holistic management
- Performance - Strategic diary of engagements secured worldwide
- Exposure - Regular marketing to 5,000+ promoters and concert halls worldwide
- Branding - High-quality publicity materials and professional photo shoots
- Digital - Comprehensive social media and website consultation and support
- Media - Live recordings of recitals at Wigmore Hall
Philip and Dorothy Green Young Artist (PDGYA)
- Provide up-and-coming classical musicians with performing opportunities with Making Music’s 3,500+ member groups
- The six chosen artists are promoted to Making Music members for engagements at fixed rates (£250 for solo artists, £500 for artists with accompanists) subsidised by Making Music for up to 50 bookings each year
- They will benefit from publicity in Making Music’s Selected Artists guide, on its website, other publications and social media. The artists will also be offered an unpaid presentation concert for Making Music members
- The age range for all applicants is 21-27
- If you are not a UK citizen you must be able to provide evidence that you are eligible to live and work in the UK for the entire period of the award
makingmusic.org.uk/opportunities-professionals/pdgya
The Borletti-Buitoni Trust
- The Borletti-Buitoni Trust helps outstanding young musicians to develop and sustain international careers with awards that fund tailor-made projects
- All winners are given a budget and they are invited to suggest how they want to spend the money
- BBT Winners are given awards of between £20,000 and £30,000
- Some artists have used their awards to assist with purchasing instruments, while others have used funds for PR campaigns, photographs, publicity folders and websites. Budgets have also been used for survival money, studying and travel costs
The Nicholas Boas Charitable Trust
- The Trust supports young musicians at the start of their careers with particular projects such as attending masterclasses, travelling to auditions, making initial recordings, commissioning new works etc
- The Trust also supports organisations such as IMS Prussia Cove, English National Opera, British Youth Opera etc. who have a particular focus on working with young artists
- he Music programme is primarily funded through a series of fund raising concerts at 22 Mansfield St London W1G 9NR
N.B. The Trust does NOT give assistance to paying regular tuition fees at universities and art or music colleges