The Garrick Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 1071279

Annual Expenditure: £0.3M
Geographic Focus: City Of Westminster

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £280,000-£285,000
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Quarterly meetings (3-month cycle)
  • Grant Range: £2,500 - £5,000
  • Geographic Focus: UK only

Contact Details

Website: www.garrickclub.co.uk/charitable_trust

Email: charitabletrust@garrickclub.co.uk

Phone: 020 7836 1737

Contact Person: Sarah Charles

Overview

The Garrick Charitable Trust was established in August 1998 (registered charity number 1071279) using funds from the Garrick Club's sale of its interest in the A.A. Milne estate to Disney Corporation. Operating independently of the Garrick Club, the Trust has distributed approximately £1.2 million through 300 grants in its first seven years of operation. The Trust's mission is to encourage theatre, music, literature and dance, with a particular emphasis on nurturing actors, directors, writers, musicians, composers and choreographers in the early stages of their careers. The Trust prioritises projects that include genuine mentoring or coaching elements and demonstrate meaningful impact on professional development. Recent annual expenditure ranges from £280,000-£285,000, supporting professional arts organisations across the UK.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

General Grants Programme: £2,500 - £5,000 per grant

  • Grants may be awarded for more than one year in some cases
  • Application method: Download application form and submit by email
  • Quarterly deadlines aligned with trustee meetings (March, June, September, December)
  • Applications received after a deadline are held for the next quarterly meeting

Priority Areas

  • Early career development: Projects supporting actors, directors, writers, musicians, composers and choreographers at the beginning of their professional careers (post-training)
  • Mentoring and coaching: Proposals must ideally include an element of “genuine and significant mentoring or coaching”
  • Professional organisations: Supporting professional arts organisations in need of financial support
  • Career progression: Schemes that demonstrate how funding will meaningfully impact the organisation's future and help professionals develop their careers
  • Theatre, music, dance and literature: All four art forms are supported equally

What They Don't Fund

  • Drama, dance or music conservatoire training
  • Academic studies
  • Amateur productions
  • Projects outside the UK
  • Capital appeals
  • Non-registered charities
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Governance and Leadership

Chair: Gareth Neame OBE, DL (appointed 2022)

Trustees:

  • David Whelton OBE (appointed 2019)
  • Sir Robert W Chote (appointed 2023)

The Trust operates independently of the Garrick Club while sharing its founding mission to encourage the performing arts and literature. According to the Trust's leadership, they “aim to support those starting out on their professional careers after training and are especially interested in schemes with really good coaching and mentoring.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Submit completed application with all attachments to: charitabletrust@garrickclub.co.uk

Decision Timeline

  • Trustee meetings: Quarterly, usually in early March, June, September and December
  • Application deadline: Applications should be received in good time before each meeting
  • Processing: All applications are considered at the first available Trustees' Meeting
  • Late submissions: Applications received after a deadline are held over to the next quarterly meeting
  • Typical decision cycle: Approximately 3 months between meetings

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. However, the Trust has made approximately 300 grants in its first seven years, suggesting a relatively selective but active grant-making programme.

Reapplication Policy

Important: Organisations that are awarded a grant are asked to wait three years before reapplying. This is a strict policy that applicants should note when planning future funding strategies.

Application Success Factors

Key Priorities from the Trust

The Trust explicitly states: “We explicitly support proposals which help professionals to develop their careers and this should ideally include an element of genuine and significant mentoring or coaching.”

What Makes a Strong Application

  • Mentoring/coaching component: This is repeatedly emphasized in the Trust's guidance and should be a core element of any proposal
  • Early career focus: Demonstrate how the project supports professionals “starting out on their professional careers after training”
  • Professional (not amateur) focus: The Trust is clear about supporting professional organisations and practitioners
  • Clear career development pathway: Show how the funding will meaningfully impact the organisation's future and professional development of participants
  • Detailed budgeting: Include a comprehensive project budget with your application
  • Track record: Include evidence of previous work through reviews, CVs, or publicity materials

Recent Grant Example

The Trust supported the Oxford School of Drama's New Initiatives Fund in 2025, which had previously supported 18 projects including Wildcard Theatre, Redfox Theatre, and two-time Olivier Award nominee Maimuna Memon. This demonstrates the Trust's commitment to schemes that nurture emerging talent with strong mentoring frameworks.

Application Tips

  • Submit well in advance of quarterly deadlines to ensure consideration at the next meeting
  • Ensure your organisation is a registered UK charity before applying
  • Clearly articulate the mentoring/coaching elements in your proposal
  • Focus on how the grant will support early-career professionals, not established practitioners
  • Keep grant requests within the typical £2,500-£5,000 range
  • Remember the three-year reapplication policy when planning multi-year funding strategies

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Mentoring is mandatory: Applications without a genuine and significant mentoring or coaching component are unlikely to succeed. This is the Trust's core priority and should be central to your proposal.
  • Early career focus is essential: The Trust specifically targets professionals “starting out on their professional careers after training”—ensure your project clearly serves this demographic.
  • Plan for the three-year wait: Successful applicants cannot reapply for three years, so ensure your grant request covers your needs adequately or have alternative funding strategies in place.
  • Professional organisations only: Amateur groups, academic institutions, and conservatoires should not apply. The Trust supports professional arts organisations working with professional practitioners.
  • Quarterly deadlines require planning: With only four decision points per year, plan your application timeline carefully and submit well in advance of quarterly meetings.
  • UK focus is non-negotiable: International projects are explicitly excluded. All funded activities must take place in the UK.
  • Multi-year grants are possible: While not common, the Trust does occasionally make grants for more than one year—if your project warrants it, make the case for extended support.

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