Genesis Foundation

Registered charity 1084555 · since 2001genesisfoundation.org.uk·United Kingdom·Updated 29 October 2026

At a glance

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. Don't spend time on an approach; the similar funders below support the same kind of work.

Key takeaways

The Genesis Foundation takes applications by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send a cold proposal but look for a route in through a partner or existing contact.
Its funding goes primarily to projects aligned with its existing programmes and partners in theatre, music, literature and the visual arts, so a request should show how the work links to that partnership model.
It does not fund productions, festivals or individual artist training, so organisations seeking money for those should look elsewhere.
Neither the annual report nor the register gives a grant range or annual giving figure, so a realistic request size cannot be read from the available information.
The charity says it works with partner organisations whose ethos and artistic leadership it admires, and with individuals it respects and trusts, so relationships are likely to matter a great deal.

Overview

Genesis Foundation is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1084555).

The Genesis Foundation exists to set exceptional artists, whether at the beginning or a later stage of their careers, firmly on the path to fulfilling their creative and professional potential. Its principal areas of focus are theatre, music, literature and the visual arts, and it works mainly through partnerships with prestigious arts organisations, principally in theatre and music. The 95 projects awarded grants have supported more than 1,000 freelance artists across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It also awards the bi-annual Genesis Foundation Prize of £25,000, which it describes as the only arts award to focus on mentors and the vital role they play in an artist's development.

What they fund

Priority Areas

The Genesis Foundation supports artistic and creative development through partnerships with leading arts organisations, principally in theatre and music. Its principal areas of focus also include literature and the visual arts. It seeks to enable prestigious, progressive public-facing arts organisations to nurture outstanding artists and creative professionals, both young and more mature, helping them develop their talents and access influential mentors, valuable networks and high-profile opportunities. Rather than funding specific young and developing artists directly, it generally funds organisations and trusts partner organisations to select the talented people who participate in and benefit from its programmes. Its work also includes training initiatives that equip emerging artists for professional creative careers, and prizes recognising mentoring in the arts.

Themes

Theatre
Music
Literature
Visual arts

Geographic Focus

Priority: The UK.

What they don't fund

Productions
Festivals
Individual artist training

How to apply

The charity states that it takes applications by invitation only.

Application success factors

What the charity says:

Funding is primarily directed towards projects aligned with the Foundation's existing programmes and partners.
The Foundation collaborates with partner organisations whose ethos, artistic leadership and achievements it admires, and with individuals at those organisations whom it respects, trusts and finds sympathetic.

Where they fund

Where it says it funds

United Kingdom

Similar funders

Funders supporting work similar to Genesis Foundation.

Genesis FoundationInvitation onlyGave £1.7M The Foundation FoundationRolling The Kurt Geiger Kindness FoundationNo public processGave £93,000 The Andrew Lloyd Webber FoundationInvitation onlyGave £886k The Rory and Elizabeth Brooks FoundationInvitation onlyGave £638k Amant FoundationRollingGave £759k The International Foundation for Arts and Culture (IFAC)No public process The Holloway FoundationNo public processGave £2M The Hearn FoundationNo public processGave £2.2M The Ampersand FoundationMixed deadlinesGave £479k

Five years of accounts

Financial year	Income	Expenditure	Grants paid	Accounts document
year to 31 December 2021	£413,544	£402,914	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2021
year to 31 December 2022	£415,810	£424,663	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2022
year to 31 December 2023	£291,904	£306,165	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2023
year to 31 December 2024	£285,370	£265,585	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2024
year to 31 December 2025	£351,273	£364,520	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2025

Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.