The Leche Trust was founded in 1950 and endowed by the late Mr. Angus Acworth, CBE. Its main priorities are conservation and the performing arts.
Performing Arts
The Trust’s priorities are:
- 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.
Performing arts grants are typically around ÂŁ4,000, though sometimes smaller but rarely larger.
Performing art grants must be UK registered charities or local authority-run venues, with a turnover of less than ÂŁ1.5 million per annum.
The following are not eligible for funding for performing arts grants:
- Projects that will commence less than six weeks from the published date of the trustees’ meeting concerned.
- Amateur/non-professional performances or the training of amateur/non-professional artists.
- Artist training and development projects aimed at under 18 year-olds.
- Artist training and development bursaries or scholarships at higher education institutions, such as music conservatoires or theatre/ballet 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.
- 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.
- Capital developments at arts venues or purchase of equipment.
- Projects not taking place in the UK.
Applications are now open with a deadline of 2 May 2025 for a decision by 23 June 2025