THE IDLEWILD TRUST
Grants up to £7,000 are available to UK registered charities and exempt charities for nurturing early-stage professionals in the arts, including dance, music, theatre and visual arts, and the conservation of objects and works of art.
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o Application deadline: FRIDAY 14th FEBRUARY 2025 at midday. The Fund opened to applications on Monday 2nd December 2024. A further application window in 2025 is provided towards the end of the main text below.
o Funder: The Idlewild Trust (founded 1974. Charity number 268124. Total value of all grants awarded during the year ended 31 December 2023: £194,185 (2022: £174,264; 2021: £108,035; 2020: £125,255)).
o Who can apply: UK registered charities that are more than two years old, UK publicly exempt charities, including some museums and galleries, and places of worship.
o Key words: Arts, Works of Art (including Artefacts, Textiles, Furniture, Metalwork, Manuscripts, Wall Paintings, Tombs and Stained Glass), Continuing Professional Development for Young Professional Musicians, Dancers, Actors, Writers, Artists, Theatre, Art History, Museums, Places of Worship, United Kingdom.
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The Idlewild Trust offers grants to registered charities working in the following two areas:
1. The Arts – Nurturing Early-Stage Professionals: supporting programmes that improve opportunities for professionals working creatively within the arts at an early stage in their career. The Trust will consider activities that:
o Encourage and nurture the talent of young professional musicians, dancers, actors, writers and artists in the performing, fine and applied arts aged 18 and over. Programmes need to be run by UK registered charities in the arts sector, delivering high quality and professional work with a strong track record. Programmes should be for talented early-stage professionals with existing training or very relevant experience, and
o Are for other early-stage professionals working creatively within the arts including composers, curators and theatre-makers (eg directors and choreographers).
2. Conservation – Objects and Works of Art: supporting conservation of important works of art and objects that are being lost through the lack of funds to look after them. The Trust will consider activities that:
o Conserve historic or artistically important objects and works of art including artefacts, textiles, furniture, metalwork, manuscripts, wall paintings, tombs and stained glass of high quality. Works must be in museums, galleries, places of worship, and historic buildings or their grounds, and be accessible to the public. (The Trust requires applicant organisations to own the object or work of art for which funding is being awarded and to have a completed Conservation Report available.)
Please note that the Idlewild Trust no longer funds conservation projects submitted by places of worship.
UK registered charities that are more than two years old, UK publicly exempt charities, including some museums and galleries, and churches that are excepted charities may apply for a grant of up to £7,000.
During the year ended 31st December 2023, the Trust awarded 41 grants totalling £194,185 ( 2022: £174,264; 2021: £108,035; 2020: £125,255)). The average grant was for £4,736.
Details of all grant recipients over the last two years can be viewed on pages 15 and 16 of the Trust’s Annual Report.
Funding is not available for:
o Any organisation with income of £5,000 per year or under.
o Charities or projects based outside the UK or involving travel outside the UK.
o Charities with the sole or main purpose of making grants.
o Higher, secondary or primary education institutions including universities, schools, colleges and conservatoires, whether state or private.
o Organisations in receipt of any category of grant from Idlewild Trust within 24 months of the last award.
o Projects in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, or
o Projects that have already been completed.
In addition, Arts Grants will not support:
o Charities with a primary focus other than the arts.
o Commissioning of new works, touring programmes, performances, productions, festivals and exhibitions unless this is as part of a programme to nurture early-stage professionals.
o Management, outreach and administrative career development.
o Programmes for just one person.
o Programmes for under 18-year-olds or gap year students.
o Programmes helping people prepare for entry to graduate-level training or similar. We consider programmes at the next stage of their development.
o Programmes involving amateurs, even if soloists are professionals, or
o Programmes with the purpose of introducing people to the arts.
While Conservation Grants will not support:
o Capital projects/new facilities including extensions, redevelopments, heating and lighting.
o Conservation of organs and bells.
o Conservation reports.
o Environmental projects or conservation of lands.
o Large projects that are dependent on a major grant if that major grant hasn’t yet been secured, or
o Structural repair of buildings or routine maintenance, cleaning and preventative work on objects or works of art.
Further information, guidance and an online application form is available on the Trust’s website.
The first deadline for applications in 2025 is midday on Friday 14th February, with applicants expected to be notified in early May 2025.
A further application round is currently scheduled to open on Monday 2nd June 2025 with a deadline for applications of midday on Friday 5th September 2025. Applicants are expected to be notified in December 2025.