Grants database

Young Peoples Puppet Theatre (YPPT) run large-scale projects for children and young people which use the arts to develop creative and life skills. This grant supports YPPT to grow its capacity in response to an increased demand from schools. Through its in-depth year-long projects, YPPT will support the development of arts-based, metacognitive and soft skills for Key Stage 2 children, in preparation for the transition to secondary school.

The Ulster Orchestra’s mission is to enrich people’s lives through touring, regular broadcasts, concerts and learning and community engagement programmes. They are Northern Ireland’s only professional symphony orchestra. This grant supports Ulster Orchestra to deliver Crescendo, a long-term project that engages every child in four Belfast schools and aims to develop their musicianship and ability to play an instrument and perform.

The World Reimagined is a national art education project which aims to transform how individuals, communities and society understand the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its impact on each person globally. This grant supports The World Reimagined to coordinate artist residencies in 18 schools in England and Wales to creatively explore anti-racism.

Music Works uses music to transform the lives of children and young people who are disabled or experiencing disadvantage. This grant supports the organisation to build a new model for children and young people-centred music leadership in alternative provision settings. This two-year research and development project aims to position music as an integral part of personal, social and academinc development in five alternative provision settings in Gloucestershire.

The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) provides well-evidenced, creative literacy training and support for primary school staff to raise standards in language and literacy. This grant supports CLPE to work with published authors, poets and illustrators and ten London primary schools to deliver Reflecting Realities in the Classroom. The new programme will to support teachers and schools to be more critically reflective and actively engaged in ensuring inclusive and anti-racist practices in literacy teaching and learning, through arts-based approaches.

Heartstone is an arts, cultural, and educational organisation which uses literature, storytelling, visual imagery and dance to present stories that challenge prejudice and stereotypes, reduce isolation and build contact. This grant supports Heartstone to deliver their year-long Story Circles anti-racism education programme with 18 local authorities in Scotland. Pupils aged 9–12 will engage with the themes of racism, intolerance and bigotry through dance, drama, story-telling, literature, creative writing and art.

Fresh Arts Education is a community interest company. They work with primary schools in Brent, Harrow, Barnet, Haringey and Ealing to deliver drama, dance, music and art workshops. This grant supports Fresh Arts Education to work intensively with 12 primary school partners over two years to support the learning, mental health and wellbeing of the children through arts-based learning, as well as training school staff. Using drama, movement, poetry and creative writing, the programme will be delivered through a blend of digital and face-to-face approaches.

Chol Theatre is a charity dedicated to improving the lives of children and young people through high quality arts experiences, cultural education and community theatre projects. This grant supports Chol Theatre to further develop Imaginary Communities, a dramatic and inclusive story-making practice in which every child and teacher is involved in generating ideas, building a shared imaginary world, inhabiting it with characters and launching their own story and learning adventure.

Bow Arts is a leading arts education charity, creative workspace provider and home to the Nunnery Gallery. This grant supports Bow Arts to work in partnership with ten London schools and a group of artist-educators. They will explore how arts-based learning can be central to inclusive and equitable teaching and learning, speaking to inequalities and social justice issues which have been highlighted and exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Bow Arts will carry out a programme of research through consultation, workshops, co-creation and action-research.

Blue Moose Dance Company aims to empower people to discover new potential, develop expression, gain confidence and celebrate themselves and their community through dance. They work inclusively with and for the benefit of all communities, irrespective of age, gender or background, with a particular emphasis on supporting the development of young people and uniting communities across Lancashire and North Yorkshire. This grant supports the Company to work alongside teachers in six schools to explore how embodied learning approaches can support pupils’ long-term recall and memory skills.

Affinity believes that every care experienced young person deserves equality of opportunity and are committed to providing £1000 worth of world-class cultural and leadership opportunities for every care experienced young person in Rotherham by 2030. This grant supports Affinity to train and support a cohort of teachers in and around Rotherham to develop literacy pedagogy through visual literacy and sequential art, specifically to support the learning of care-experienced children and young people.

Young Identity is a Black, Asian and ethnically diverse-led micro arts charity that engages marginalised young people in writing, performance and theatre across Greater Manchester. The young people they work with are predominately those with lived experience of racism, poverty and/​or identify as LGBTQIA+. This grant supports Young Identity to increase and deepen participation in creative writing and performance for young people experiencing marginalisation in Greater Manchester, through the development of a new writing hub, an increased focus on wellbeing, and investing in evaluation.