Funding priorities

We anticipate that these funding priorities will run for the lifetime this strategy.

The ways in which we address them, and the resources we allocate to them, may develop during moments of review and evaluation.

We expect our commitment to social justice will underpin all these priorities.

Investing in young people
Much of our grant-making aims to benefit young people, but it is the groups and organisations who work directly with them who often make the most difference, especially for young people who face complex transitions to adulthood. We concentrate our support on young people who are in the most challenging circumstances: those who are socially excluded or marginalised, whose experiences are hidden or less well known, whose voices are often erased or ignored.

Our aim is to improve the quality and quantity of support available to these young people. We do this by investing in organisations that can expand and improve their impact by developing resources and enhancing delivery. We want to support organisations at different stages of development to improve, consolidate and spread practices that empower young people to shape their lives and lead change. We look for work with young people that starts by recognising and building on their strengths and potential. We also work with organisations to influence the wider context, advocating for young people and being led by their direct advocacy.

We also support work that is led by young people, where power is shared, where work is developed and delivered in partnership with them, and where youth voice and experience influences decision making. We have a particular interest in young people leading social change and shaping the world around them.

Migration and integration
Migration is a global phenomenon, generating opportunities for social, economic and cultural enrichment. It also creates challenges for those who have moved or been displaced, and for those facing change in their communities. We have long experience of grant-making, research and collaborations around migration, mainly focused on helping young people for whom migration has brought vulnerability and hardship.

Our view is that societies are more likely to live well together if exclusion is addressed and connections are deepened. We want to use our funding to help build ‘shared ground’, with the aim of a more socially equal society where young people, settled and transient, migrant and British, can contribute actively and engage positively.

Arts access and participation
We believe in the power of the arts as a force for change, and one that enriches people’s lives and communities.

We want to ensure that a wider and more diverse group of people have access to quality artistic practice, both as audiences and participants. Building on our long history of work in this area, we support organisations to test, implement and develop more effective approaches to widening access to and deepening participation in the arts. It is not enough simply to increase numbers – our emphasis is on addressing inequalities of opportunity and the systemic issues that put up barriers to access and participation in the arts.

We are particularly interested in supporting organisations that want to build meaningful relationships with people and communities, and those that prioritise partnership working within the arts and across wider sectors. We aim to enable organisations to build stronger evidence about what works, so that they can better understand and improve their practice, share learning and have greater impact.

Education and learning through the arts
The arts play an important role in enriching young people’s learning and educational experiences. Exposure to the arts can unlock potential in young people, helping them to develop skills in communication, collaboration, creativity and problem solving. In addition to the enjoyment and enrichment the arts bring, arts education can increase young people’s engagement in school and learning, and support key educational outcomes. For many young people, particularly those experiencing the most disadvantage, the only opportunity to gain access to arts education is at school. Where good practice exists in schools, colleges and the arts organisations that work with them, the benefits for young people are significant. This is where we focus our grant-making and learning.

There is an appetite for collaboration between teachers and arts organisations, and for them to explore and improve their practice and the outcomes for young people. We are particularly interested in supporting such partnerships. We also respond to teachers’ interest in having more opportunities to develop their skills and professional practice in teaching through the arts, and in understanding their pivotal role in creating and delivering an arts-rich curriculum and school environment.

Nurturing ideas and people
Social change often comes about because of the application of good ideas by passionate people. Our founder was an innovator: in his business life and philanthropy, he backed people with good ideas. We want to do this, too.

Individuals in the UK have limited opportunities to access the financial support that is needed to scope and develop ideas to achieve social change. We are interested in backing ideas at the earliest stages of development, particularly from people who may not have much experience of applying for or receiving funding, but merit backing.

Believing that a healthy civic society is one where artists thrive, we support composers and visual artists to have the freedom to develop creatively and to grow personally and professionally.

A vibrant arts ecology requires not only great artists, but also talented and visionary people with the drive and vision to make change happen. For over ten years we have offered responsive and flexible support to creative leaders and entrepreneurs, giving them the chance to make their mark across art forms and genres.

Creating opportunities for people and communities in India
Paul Hamlyn recognised that people and communities in India had inherent strengths that were often overlooked, particularly when living in challenging circumstances. We have been working there since 1992, and it is the only place we fund outside of the UK.

Today, we continue to work with local organisations in India, focusing on the areas where we can add most value. To that end, we work in priority geographical areas, giving grants to local NGOs for health, education, shelter, support for people with disabilities, and other social development activities. By doing so, we hope to give local agencies the resources that they need to improve the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable communities. Building the capacity of these organisations and the people that make change happen is one of our strategic aims in India.