The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation

Charity Number: 1015648

Annual Expenditure: £1.8M
Throughout England And Wales

Contact Info

Website: www.andrewlloydwebberfoundation.com

Phone: 01635 278594

Email: enquiries@andrewlloydwebberfoundation.com

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £25.7m committed since 2011
  • Success Rate: ~18% (historical, prior to invitation-only model)
  • Decision Time: Trustees meet up to 3 times per year
  • Grant Range: £500 - £3,544,200 (typical grants up to £25,000)
  • Geographic Focus: UK (prioritised), some international
  • Application Status: Invitation-only since 2023

Contact Details

  • Website: www.andrewlloydwebberfoundation.com
  • Email: enquiries@andrewlloydwebberfoundation.com
  • Phone: 01635 278594
  • Charity Number: 1015648

Important Note: The Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. All funding is now by invitation only.

Overview

Founded by Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1992 and registered with the Charity Commission on December 10, 1992, the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation has awarded £25.7 million to arts, culture, and heritage projects since 2011. The Foundation's mission is to advance the arts, culture and heritage for the public benefit, with a strategic focus on professional education, training, apprenticeships, and workplace experience across all arts disciplines. Since 2023, the Foundation has operated exclusively on an invitation-only basis, identifying and creating partnerships with organisations whose aims align with their mission to deliver lasting impact for beneficiaries. The Foundation prioritises UK-based projects and aims to champion access, participation, diversity and excellence in the arts and heritage sectors. Lord Lloyd Webber has been the principal funder of all Foundation activities since inception, with a small part-time staff team supporting trustees who meet up to three times annually to make funding decisions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Main Grants Programme (Currently Closed to Unsolicited Applications)

  • Grants up to £25,000 per year
  • Multi-year projects considered favourably
  • Total of 580 grants awarded since 2011
  • Recent example: September 2024 - £270,690 awarded to 16 projects

Grant Distribution by Focus Area (September 2024 example):

  • Music education: £101,000
  • Paid work placements (designers/lighting technicians): £67,777
  • Drama and dance programmes: £53,296
  • Heritage and crafts sector skills: £33,617

Scholarship Programmes

  • Performing arts scholarships awarded annually
  • University scholarship grants available
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Scholarships at various institutions

International Programme

  • The Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative (US) via American Theatre Wing
  • $1.3 million three-year grant funding the initiative
  • Classroom Resources Grants up to $50,000
  • Stewart F. Lane Fellowship for Career Advancement: $10,000 awards

Priority Areas

The Foundation prioritises projects that:

  1. Professional Development and Career Support: Enable people to develop abilities and careers through professional education, training, apprenticeships and workplace experience in all areas of the arts - from stone masonry to youth orchestras and stage electricians
  1. Excellence in Arts, Culture, and Heritage: Promote excellence across all disciplines
  1. Diversity and Access: Engage young people and individuals from hard-to-reach and minority backgrounds; support advancement of emerging talent through top quality training and paid work placements
  1. Sustainable Long-term Impact: Provide ongoing benefits and create long-standing partnerships with organisations that align with the Foundation's mission and values
  1. UK-Based Projects: The Trustees have decided to prioritise UK-based projects
  1. Verified Third-Party Projects: Priority given to charities, not-for-profit companies and community trusts whose projects can be verified by third parties

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual applications (organisations only)
  • Direct funding to individuals
  • Raffle prizes
  • Unsolicited applications (invitation-only since 2023)

Governance and Leadership

Chair of Trustees

Dr. Simon Thurley CBE - Appointed Chair in 2015, succeeding Mark Wordsworth who served 13 years. Dr. Thurley is a distinguished historian and former CEO of English Heritage, with previous roles as Curator of Historic Royal Palaces and Director of the Museum of London. On his appointment, he stated: “Supporting culture, heritage and arts is fundamentally important to the future of this country.”

Board of Trustees

The Foundation has six trustees, including:

  • Madeleine Lloyd Webber - Over 30 years' charitable trustee experience; Director and Vice Chairman of Really Useful Group and LW Theatres Ltd
  • Philip Freedman - Chairman of Trustees of Retraining of Racehorses; past Chairman of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association
  • Emma Marsh - Over 30 years at Condé Nast, including 17 years at Vanity Fair as Fashion and Promotions Director
  • Kate Reardon - Editor in Chief of The Times luxury magazine, LUXX

Leadership Philosophy

Andrew Lloyd Webber himself has articulated the Foundation's core belief: "Music and the arts can empower and liberate, which is why it's so important to encourage participation and nurture talent. If you empower children and young people through the arts, the return on investment is huge."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Current Status: The Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Since 2023, all funding has been by invitation only.

Partnership Approach: Through careful research, the Foundation identifies and creates partnerships with organisations whose aims align with their own to deliver a lasting real difference for beneficiaries.

For Invited Applicants:

  • Application Guidance documents are provided to invited organisations
  • Annual activity reports required for funded projects
  • Projects must be verifiable by third parties

Decision Timeline

  • Trustees meet up to 3 times per year to make final funding decisions
  • Small staff team works part-time to process applications
  • Trustees cannot enter into dialogue about individual applications
  • Trustees' decisions are final

Success Rates

Historical data (2014, before invitation-only model):

  • Over 200 grant applications received annually
  • 36 projects funded in 2014 (plus 30 performing arts scholarships)
  • Approximate success rate: ~18%

Current Model: Success rates no longer applicable in traditional sense due to invitation-only approach where the Foundation proactively identifies potential partners.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable under current invitation-only model. The Foundation focuses on creating long-standing partnerships rather than one-off grants, with multi-year funding often considered.

Application Success Factors

Key Alignment Factors

  1. Demonstrate Ongoing Benefit: Projects that provide lasting impact beyond initial funding period are viewed favourably
  1. Partnership Potential: The Foundation seeks organisations for long-term partnerships, not one-off projects
  1. Professional Development Focus: Strong emphasis on training, apprenticeships, and workplace experience that enable career progression
  1. Diversity and Access: Projects engaging young people and individuals from hard-to-reach and minority backgrounds
  1. Verified Impact: Ability to demonstrate and verify project outcomes through third parties

Examples of Funded Projects

Music in Secondary Schools Trust (MiSST)

  • Established with Foundation funding (with Charles Wolfson Trust)
  • Since 2013: 11,200 students provided free classical music instruments, tuition and performance opportunities
  • Promises every child the opportunity to study a classical musical instrument on entry to secondary school

Stage One Producer Training

  • Two-year funding award
  • Supports The Producer Placement Scheme
  • Provides hands-on training within established producing companies or regional subsidised venues
  • 40 years of providing training and support to new UK producers in theatre

Old Vic Theatre Trust

  • £105,100 for “The Old Vic 12” programme
  • £50,000 for 'Take the Lead' programme
  • £25,000 for Old Vic New Voices (OVNV) Talent Programme

Foundation's Own Guidance

The Foundation emphasises that successful projects demonstrate:

  • Good leadership
  • Professional guidance or training to nurture creative potential
  • Targeting those who would not otherwise be able to participate
  • Making a positive, measurable difference

Language and Terminology

The Foundation uses language focused on:

  • “Empowerment” and “liberation” through the arts
  • “Nurturing creative potential”
  • “Enhancing arts education and participation”
  • “Increasing diversity”
  • “Professional development”
  • “Ongoing benefit” and “lasting impact”
  • “Long-standing partnerships”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Invitation-Only Reality: Since 2023, you cannot apply directly. Focus instead on building a strong organisational reputation in arts education/heritage and ensuring your work aligns with Foundation priorities - you may be identified as a potential partner.
  1. Think Long-Term Partnership, Not One-Off Grant: The Foundation explicitly seeks “long standing partnerships” rather than project grants. If invited, demonstrate how a relationship could develop over time.
  1. Professional Development is Central: The strongest alignment is with projects offering professional education, training, apprenticeships, or workplace experience in arts/heritage - not just participation programmes.
  1. Diversity and Access Are Non-Negotiable: Projects must engage young people and/or individuals from hard-to-reach and minority backgrounds. Generic programmes won't align.
  1. Ongoing Benefit Over Time-Limited Projects: Trustees favour projects with lasting impact that continue beyond the funding period. Demonstrate sustainability.
  1. UK Focus Since Recent Strategic Shift: While some international work continues (particularly the US programme), UK-based projects are now prioritised.
  1. Must Be Organisational, Not Individual: Only registered charities, not-for-profit companies, and community trusts are funded. Individual applications are not accepted.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

  • The Arts Council Of England
  • The Portal Trust
  • The Foyle Foundation
  • Elizabeth Wright
  • The Spencer Wills Trust
  • The Lionel Bart Foundation
  • Christina Smith Foundation
  • The Champniss Foundation
  • The Mbili Charitable Trust
  • The Noel Coward Foundation

References