The Arts Foundation

Charity Number: 1000001

Annual Expenditure: £0.1M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £115,000 (2025)
  • Success Rate: 25% (5 winners from 20 shortlisted artists)
  • Decision Time: Shortlist announced early January, winners announced mid-February
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £20,000
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide
  • Application Type: Nomination only (no public application process)

Contact Details

Website: www.artsfoundation.co.uk

Email: info@artsfoundation.co.uk

Phone: 7969029656

Press Contact: press@artsfoundation.co.uk

Overview

The Arts Foundation was established in 1993 through an anonymous bequest to support individual artists and creatives in the UK at pivotal moments in their careers. Since inception, the charity has awarded over £2 million to emerging and promising artists across diverse art forms. The organization provides unconditional financial fellowships through its flagship Arts Foundation Futures Awards, annually distributing £115,000 to five winning fellows (£20,000 each) and 20 shortlisted artists (£1,000 each). In September 2024, the Foundation doubled its fellowship amount from £10,000 to £20,000 in response to inflation, cost-of-living pressures, and artist income precarity, making it one of the UK's largest unconditional funders of individual artists. The Foundation's mission centres on championing contemporary arts by providing recognition and financial breathing space to artists who demonstrate innovation, interdisciplinary thinking, and significant potential for creative development.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Arts Foundation Futures Awards

  • Fellowship Award: £20,000 (unconditional, no-strings-attached)
  • Shortlist Award: £1,000 (for all shortlisted artists not selected as fellows)
  • Total Annual Distribution: £115,000
  • Number of Winners: 5 fellows annually
  • Number of Shortlisted: 20 artists annually (4 per category)
  • Award Cycle: Annual, with nominations typically closing in late autumn/early winter

Priority Areas

The Arts Foundation focuses on supporting artists across broad and innovative art forms in five rotating categories each year:

Recent Award Categories:

  • 2025: Dance, Design, Film, Theatre, Visual Art
  • 2024: Jazz Composition, Regenerative Design, Short Documentary Film, Theatre Writing, Visual Art

The Foundation prioritizes:

  • Artists at a pivotal moment in their practice and career trajectory
  • Innovative and cross-disciplinary approaches to creative practice
  • Emerging areas of artistic expression and new art forms
  • Artists who demonstrate experimentation and potential for significant development
  • Individual artists and creatives (not organizations)
  • Artists living and working in the UK

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations or collectives (only individual artists)
  • Artists based outside the UK
  • Established artists not at a pivotal career moment
  • Commercial projects or non-artistic endeavors
  • Art forms outside the selected annual categories
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Governance and Leadership

Director

Mary Jane Edwards - Director

Mary Jane brings extensive experience in social and visual arts and public arts institutions. She is interested in “exploring alternative structures for sustaining and connecting artistic practice.” She also serves as a Trustee of Wysing Arts Centre, Honorary Fellow and Advisory Board Member of University of Liverpool Science and Literature Hub, and is a member of The Association of Women in the Arts (AWITA).

Board of Trustees

Saadi Soudavar - Chair of the Board

Managing Director at Deutsche Bank, running European Equity Capital Markets. Art collector and supporter of arts organizations, and member of the Tate Photography Acquisition Committee.

John Booth

Entrepreneur and philanthropist, Chairman of National Gallery and Royal Drawing School Trustees, Fellow of Society of Antiquaries.

Andrew Comben

Chief Executive Officer of Britten Pears Arts; previously Chief Executive of Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival (2008-2024).

Jan Dalley

Arts editor of the Financial Times and author of biographical works.

Kully Thiarai

Theatre maker and Arts Executive; Chair of new writing company PainesPlough and Co-Chair of Slung Low; recently Creative Director of LEEDS 2023.

Dennis Chang

Director at Bolton & Quinn PR consultancy, specializing in arts and culture communications.

Virginia Hodge

Design Consultant working with luxury fashion and international brands; Visiting Professor at University of Arts.

Frith Kerr

Award-winning graphic designer and founder of Studio Frith, working with cultural institutions and artists.

Monika Parrinder

Design, research, and education professional; teaches at Central Saint Martins; author and public speaker.

Quote from Leadership

Rufus Norris (2002 Fellow, now Artistic Director of the National Theatre): “It certainly had the most profound effect on my career because it did exactly what it was meant to do. In that it brought me time, time to follow my own initiative, my own instinct rather than trying to persuade anyone else that I could follow theirs.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Arts Foundation does not have a public application process. Artists cannot directly apply for the Arts Foundation Futures Awards.

The Foundation operates through a confidential nomination-based system. They collaborate with a range of established professionals, artists and creative practitioners, academics, and subject experts in their award-category disciplines who feed into the nomination and jury process. The nominations network and independent jury members change annually to support the identification of the most promising artists and creatives living and working in the UK.

How Awards Are Typically Granted:

  • A confidential network of nominators propose candidates
  • Nominators include established professionals, creative practitioners, academics, and subject experts in relevant disciplines
  • The nomination network changes annually
  • Independent jury members review nominations and select shortlisted artists and fellows
  • Artists are contacted if they are shortlisted or selected

Getting on Their Radar

The Arts Foundation has specific measures to ensure inclusivity despite the closed nomination process:

Diversity and Inclusion Commitment:

  • The Foundation maintains an “effective access, inclusion, equality and diversity policy” to ensure consideration of all areas of the artistic community
  • They set specific diversity targets for program participants
  • Annual surveys evaluate and improve inclusivity
  • The Foundation ensures representation across different demographics, geographical areas, and disciplines

What This Means for Artists:

  • Focus on developing your creative practice and building a strong body of work
  • Build connections within your artistic community and relevant professional networks
  • Engage with established professionals, academics, and sector experts in your field
  • Participate in exhibitions, performances, publications, or other opportunities that increase your visibility
  • The nomination network comprises diverse professionals across the UK, so quality work anywhere in the country can be noticed

Decision Timeline

Annual Cycle:

  • Autumn/Winter: Nominations period (confidential)
  • Early January: Shortlist of 20 artists announced
  • Mid-February: Award ceremony where 5 fellows are announced

Recent Timeline Examples:

  • 2025: Shortlist announced early January 2025; winners announced 17 February 2025
  • 2024: Winners announced 28 February 2024
  • 2023: Winners announced 23 February 2023

Notification Method:

  • Shortlisted artists are contacted directly
  • Public announcements made on website and through press releases
  • Award ceremony held in London (recent ceremonies at Kings Place)

Success Rates

  • 20 artists shortlisted annually (4 per category)
  • 5 fellows selected from the shortlist
  • Success rate of shortlisted artists: 25% (5 out of 20)
  • All 20 shortlisted artists receive £1,000

The overall success rate from nomination to winning a fellowship is not publicly disclosed due to the confidential nomination process, but being shortlisted represents significant recognition with financial support.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as there is no direct application process. However, the nomination network changes annually, and different categories are featured each year, meaning artists may be considered in multiple years if their work continues to develop and they remain at a pivotal career moment.

Application Success Factors

Since this is a nomination-based process, the following factors appear to be critical based on the Foundation's stated values and patterns:

What the Foundation Looks For

“Pivotal Moment” in Career Trajectory

The Foundation consistently emphasizes supporting artists “at a pivotal moment in their careers.” Based on testimonials, this appears to mean:

  • Artists who have developed a substantial body of work but need support to reach the next level
  • Emerging artists with demonstrated potential rather than fully established practitioners
  • Artists at a career juncture where financial support and recognition would have transformative impact

Innovation and Cross-Disciplinary Thinking

The Foundation values “the encouragement of communication and interaction between artists themselves and support artists who are thinking outside the discipline and are innovative in their practice.”

Recent Award Categories Show Emerging Art Forms

  • Regenerative Design (2024)
  • Bio Design (2023)
  • Electronic Music (2023)
  • Short Documentary Film (2024)

These categories demonstrate openness to contemporary and emerging practices.

Impact on Fellows' Careers

Unconditional Support Philosophy

“Giving recognition and unconditional financial support to artists enables them to move to new levels and has long-term benefits for their practice.”

Testimonials from Recent Fellows:

Tatenda Shamiso (Theatre Writing, 2024): “The Fellowship has given me belief, space and resources that will keep shaping my work for years to come.”

Daniel Casimir (Jazz Composition, 2024): “The timing of this award has been both crucial and transformative for my career.”

Rhea Thomas (Regenerative Design, 2024): “This Fellowship has marked one of the most transformative milestones in my life.”

Cherish Oteka (Short Documentary Film, 2024): “The fellowship allowed me to explore what it means to make work on my own terms.”

Louise Lenborg Skajem (Bio Design, 2023): “Having the freedom, space, and time to be creative is a privilege.”

Gaia Holmes (Place Writing, 2023): The fellowship helped boost her “focus, drive and confidence” and reduced “imposter syndrome.”

Common Themes in Successful Fellows

  1. Time and space to develop practice: The unconditional nature allows artists to follow their own instincts
  2. Financial security: Provides a safety net that reduces anxiety and allows risk-taking
  3. Confidence boost: Recognition validates artistic practice and increases ambition
  4. Career acceleration: Enables focus on practice rather than survival jobs
  5. Long-term impact: Fellows report effects lasting years beyond the fellowship period

Distinguished Alumni

Past Fellows include: Wayne McGregor (1994), Alice Oswald (1996), Sarah Kane (1998), Asif Kapadia (2001), Ali Smith (2001), Rufus Norris (2002), Carol Morley (2003), Lynette Yiadom-Boakye (2006), Simon Fujiwara (2009), Sam Lee (2011), Alice Birch (2014), Hollie McNish (2015), Evan Ifekoya (2017), Holly Hendry (2019), Onyeka Igwe (2020), Klein (2020), and Bethany Williams (2020).

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • You cannot directly apply - The Arts Foundation operates exclusively through a confidential nomination system. Focus instead on building visibility and relationships within your artistic community and with sector professionals who might be nominators.
  • The “pivotal moment” is critical - The Foundation specifically targets artists at a transformative point in their career trajectory, not beginners or fully established practitioners. If you're being considered, evidence of how this support would be transformational is key.
  • Innovation and interdisciplinary work stand out - Recent award categories (Regenerative Design, Bio Design, Electronic Music) show the Foundation values artists pushing boundaries and working across traditional disciplines.
  • Being shortlisted is valuable in itself - All 20 shortlisted artists receive £1,000 and significant recognition. The 25% success rate from shortlist to fellowship is relatively high.
  • Unconditional support is foundational - The Foundation believes in giving artists freedom to follow their instincts rather than prescribing outcomes. This philosophy should inform how you think about your practice development.
  • Geographic and demographic diversity matter - The Foundation has explicit diversity targets and inclusivity policies to ensure representation across the UK and different demographics.
  • Long-term career impact is proven - Alumni include some of the UK's most distinguished contemporary artists, and testimonials consistently cite transformative, lasting effects on practice and confidence.

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