WE ARE RAISING FUNDS FOR GRANT ROUND 8 - YOU CAN HELP US REACH OUR £100K TARGET

The main objective of our grants is to mobilise projects of outstanding artistic merit which create meaningful work for freelance period musicians, and which bring period-instrument music to audiences across the UK, engaging and inspiring people and enriching communities. The key criteria for assessing applications are:

 

• the artistic merit and originality of the proposed project; 

• the number of instrumentalists engaged and the proportion of the grant funds dedicated to artists’ fees;

• the extent to which new live or virtual audiences will be engaged; and

• for recently formed ensembles, the extent to which the project proposed is realistic and will contribute to establishing the group's credentials and visibility.  

 

In choosing which projects to support, in addition to the considerations above, there will be an assessment of the artistic excellence and recent activity of each ensemble. For the avoidance of doubt, ensembles do not need to meet all of the criteria below; the list is designed to give a sense of the areas being looked at by the Advisory Panel and Trustees in their decision-making. These include: 

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• public performances since 2021, including those cancelled due to Covid-19

• critically acclaimed recordings (including CDs, broadcasts, videos, etc.) since 2021

• support of early-career instrumentalists and vocalists 

• innovative programming, including works by diverse composers 

• diversity of performers and administrators 

• involvement in outreach and education projects 

• whether the ensemble is a UK registered charity 

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The Trustees also consider the quality of the application itself, as we believe this is a reflection of the ensemble's ability to carry out the project to a high standard.

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RECENTLY FORMED ENSEMBLES - EVALUATION CRITERIA

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For ensembles formed between ca. June 2020 and June 2023, the Advisory Panel will consider the areas set out below:

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• evidence of public performances (including any that were cancelled) 

• background information on the musicians comprising the ensemble

• the rationale for the formation of the group 

• repertoire being explored, aspirations, etc.

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The applicants in this category are asked to submit a 10-minute, unedited video of the ensemble performing together. This could be an extract from a live-streamed concert, or part of a performance filmed on a smart phone. If there is no film footage from performances, we would consider a video from a rehearsal. The video does not need to be professionally filmed - we look for the quality of the ensemble playing, not the quality of the video. 

 

NB - In order to be eligible, an ensemble must have had at least one public performance before 30th June 2023. The ensemble should demonstrate the intention to have a lasting presence, rather than gathering for a one-off project.