Idlewild Trust
Overview
They support two grant programmes, awarding one-off annual grants to a maximum of £7,000
Idlewild Trust awards grants in two areas:
- Arts: Nurturing Early-Stage Professionals Grants to improve opportunities for professionals working creatively within the arts at an early stage in their career.
- Conservation: Objects and Works of Art Grants to support the conservation of historic or artistically important objects and works of art in museums, galleries, places of worship, historic buildings or their grounds.
You can apply for 100% of the project costs or apply for funding towards a project where there might be multiple funding sources.
Arts Grants - Nurturing Early Stage Professionals
Aim:
They support training opportunities for professionals, working creatively and backstage, within the performing and visual arts, at an early stage in their careers.
How:
They’re interested in programmes that nurture the talent of professional performing artists, creatives and those working in backstage roles.
Organisations applying must be UK Registered Charities in the arts sector, delivering high quality and professional work with a strong track record.
Programmes eligible for support will be designed for early-stage professionals trained to the highest level and/or with equivalent relevant experience.
Priority will be given to applications where the programmes provide an opportunity or opportunities for meaningful performance.
Idlewild does not fund private sector or state higher, secondary or primary education institutions, including universities, schools, colleges, or conservatoires or ensembles, choirs, orchestras, theatres etc, where support for emerging talent consists purely in providing employment.
Conservation Grants - Objects and Works of Art
Aim:
They support the conservation of cultural heritage of recognized national and international importance in museums, libraries, galleries, historic buildings or landscapes accessible to the public.
How:
They're interested in projects that aim to conserve historic or artistically important objects and works of art including artefacts, textiles, furniture, metalwork, manuscripts, and wall paintings. Works must be in museums, galleries, and historic buildings or their grounds, and be accessible to the public.
Priority will be given to applications that include a knowledge sharing element as an outcome of the project.
They are committed to sharing the knowledge and experience of conservators to a wider audience, so depending on the size and resources available within the project they will be looking for knowledge sharing with professional colleagues, for example a webinar, lecture, or published article. A public engagement activity that helps to improve the public understanding of conservation practice is encouraged.
A Conservation Report by an independent and accredited conservator needs to be completed before you apply to them. The report should include independent authentication, information on condition, proposed treatment and cost.
Organisations applying must be UK Registered Charities or national museums that are UK Exempt Charities.
Please note that Idlewild Trust no longer funds conservation projects submitted by places of worship.
NEW: Multi-year Awards
Idlewild Trust offers three multi-year awards per annum in support of early career professional development programmes in the Arts.
These awards will be available to charitable organisations whose programmes Idlewild has supported previously.
Only three will be awarded each year and the Trustees will select charities they wish to consider for these awards.
Application for these awards is by invitation only and the amount available for each award under this scheme will be £21,000 over 3 years.
Who can apply?
Organisations applying must be one of the following:
- UK Registered Charity with two or more annual returns submitted on time to the Charity Commission
- UK Publicly Exempt Charity: most museums/galleries are Registered Charities, but not all. UK Publicly Exempt Charities include 14 named national museums and galleries listed in Annex 1, p.13 of this document: (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exempt-charities-cc23)
Other churches are required to register as a UK Registered Charity
Additional requirements:
Safeguarding:
They ask applicants to include a copy of the organisation’s current Safeguarding Policy
Location of project activity:
Applications from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will be considered. They do not fund charities or projects based outside the UK, in the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or involving travel outside the UK.
The timing of your project:
Grants will not be awarded retrospectively or to projects in the final stages of completion. Priority is given to applications for projects that have yet to commence at the time of application. There must be a gap of 24 months before applying for another Idlewild Trust award (measured between decision dates). If you received a grant in May 2024, you would not be eligible to receive another grant until May 2026.