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Increased funding for 2021 Arts Scholarships

The Leverhulme Trust is pleased to announce that it will make available significantly increased funding for the arts in 2021.

At least £15 million has been committed by the Trust Board to its forthcoming competition for Arts Scholarships – an increase of 50% on the most recent years. These awards provide scholarships and bursaries so that specialist UK arts training organisations may support individuals of exceptional talent to develop their skills in the fine and performing arts, including music, dance, theatre, and film. Grants typically range from £20,000 for smaller organisations to over £500,000 for larger institutions.

Awards of this type have been part of the Trust’s portfolio for over 80 years. Richard Attenborough was an early Leverhulme arts scholar at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in the 1940s. More recently, Leverhulme scholarship holder Jamael Westman graduated from RADA and secured the lead role in Hamilton, London’s hit West End Musical, winning the Emerging Talent Award at the 2018 Evening Standard Theatre Awards for his performance.

The scheme continues to be one of the Trust’s most popular and successful programmes. The broad range of organisations funded includes Pro Corda, Siobhan Davies Dance, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Opera North, National Film and Television School, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Birmingham Conservatoire, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the Royal College of Music – no fewer than 59 arts training organisations in the last round of the competition alone.

The creative arts sector is suffering badly because of the Covid-19 pandemic. New talent needs all the support that can be mustered to enable the next generation of artists to continue to develop their skills. The Leverhulme Trustees are delighted to contribute increased resources from the Trust to this cause.

Niall FitzGerald, KBE, the Chairman of the Trust Board said:

“We are acutely aware of the great hardship in the sector and particularly amongst those starting out on their careers. Our hope is that the extra funding will draw in new and diverse organisations who are helping the widest possible community of talented artists.”

Full details of eligibility, what the Trust offers and how to apply, can be found on the scheme web page: www.leverhulme.ac.uk/arts-scholarships

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