Leche Trust – Performing Arts

Leche Trust – Performing Arts is sponsored by Leche Trust. This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

Performing Arts Grants | The Leche Trust Round 3 of the Performing Arts programme of funding for 2025-26 is now CLOSED. The next round will open in summer 2026 (dates TBC). At the Leche Trust we believe that the arts – and artists – make the world a better place.

A healthy and dynamic society is reflected in a vibrant arts ecology: we want to support work that is original, to nurture artists and their creativity.

New Works in Performing Arts : the commissioning, development, production and/or performance of new works in music, theatre, dance and performance across all genres Artists’ Professional Development : to support artists’ professional development through programmes that address a clear need or gap in development. These programmes can be aimed at early or mid-career artists, but they need to reflect current context and practices.

We aim for excellence across both of the above priorities. Applicants must be UK registered charities or local authority-run venues, with a turnover of less than £1. 5million per annum.

(Please see https://www. lechetrust. org/what-we-fund for further clarification on applicant eligibility.)

Our performing arts grants are typically around £4,000 – sometimes smaller and rarely larger. We prefer to give grants to smaller projects, or specific elements of projects, where our contribution can have a greater impact. We are keen to ensure our grant-making is spread throughout the UK, particularly encouraging eligible applications from outside London and Southeast of England.

If you are applying from within London and the Southeast of England please get in touch with the Grants Director to discuss your proposal before submitting ( info@lechetrust. org ). Organisations that have received a grant are asked not to re-apply until two years have elapsed from the month of the meeting at which the grant was agreed.

Please ensure that you include details of what a potential grant will pay for in your application. This allows the Trustees to gain a greater understanding of the potential impact of a grant, and ensures that no ineligible costs are considered in the assessment of an application. applications from organisations with an income exceeding £1.

5 million per annum applications from individuals applications that promote religion projects, programmes and activities where the majority of the artists and creatives are under 18 projects, programmes and activities that only take place in a school setting projects that will commence less than five weeks from the published decisions outcome date (dates listed here ) recordings, unless part of a wider project of live performance of new work, and/or artist professional development amateur/non-professional performances or the training of amateur/non-professional artists general arts programmes or appeals submitted without specific details about the new works or training that they will include projects in which the primary purpose is health, therapy or social welfare visual arts projects (including performance art ) capital developments at arts venues or purchase of equipment projects not taking place in the UK In specific relation to New Works in Performing Arts, we do not fund: projects, programmes, R&D and activities where there is no direct public outcome In specific relation to Artists’ Professional Development we do not fund: artist training and development bursaries or scholarships (whether they are at higher education institutions, such as music conservatoires or theatre/ballet/music schools) artist training and development projects aimed at a single recipient or fixed-term funding of a creative traineeship, such as Assistant Director or Designer for the production of a new work professional development that only offers artists the opportunity to rehearse and perform If you are offered a grant we ask you to agree to our grant conditions after which we will arrange payment of the grant by bank transfer.

If organisations are offered a grant we ask them to confirm that they agree to our grant conditions: The grant is solely for the project described in the application. Any changes must be notified to us in advance and approved by us. Any part of the grant that is not required for the approved project must be refunded to the Trust.

The Leche Trust must be acknowledged in any publicity material connected to the project. The grantee will provide an impact report within twelve months of the conclusion of the project. If any of the conditions are not complied with, we reserve the right to cancel the offer of grant, or to claim repayment of the grant if already paid.

The Leche trustees are always pleased to be invited to attend performing arts events which they have supported but it is their policy not to accept invitations in other circumstances. Please click the link below to see an example copy of the questions on the performing arts application form. You must use the online application portal to apply to the scheme.

Performing Arts App Form 2024. pdf Note that you must click on 'submit' when you have completed your form in order for it to become a live application.