The Genesis Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £500,000+ (distributed to partner organisations annually)
• Total Given Since 2001: £23 million+
• Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation/nomination-based)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
• Grant Range: £10,000 - £25,000+ (varies by programme)
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
• Application Process: No public application process

Contact Details

Website: https://genesisfoundation.org.uk

Email:

• General inquiries: admin@genesisfoundation.org.uk
• Communications: cecileburman@genesisfoundation.org.uk

Address:

Genesis Foundation

PO Box 72511

London SW3 9DZ

United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7603 9237

Overview

The Genesis Foundation is a UK registered charity (number 1084555) established by John Studzinski CBE in 2001. Since its founding, the Foundation has donated more than £23 million to the arts in the UK, making it one of the most significant private funders of emerging arts talent. The Foundation is supported by Genesis America (UK) Limited (charity 1103351), which raises funds to support the Foundation's work and other charitable causes identified by trustees.

The Foundation's main objective is “to set exceptionally talented young people in the arts, primarily active at undergraduate and postgraduate level, firmly on the path to fulfilling their creative and professional potential.” Its focus is on nurturing early-career artists principally in theatre and music, though it also supports visual arts and curatorship.

The Foundation operates through long-term partnerships with leading arts organisations including the Almeida Theatre, National Theatre, The Sixteen, and Royal Academy of Arts, as well as training initiatives like the Genesis Theatre Design Programme and Genesis Future Curators programme. The Foundation donates approximately £500,000 annually to its partner organisations. Cross-disciplinary networking and mentoring are inherent to the Genesis Foundation's approach, with John Studzinski consistently emphasising “the role in philanthropy of mentoring and active networks.”

The Foundation is also the UK's largest commissioner of sacred music, having commissioned 30 new choral works to date through its partnership with The Sixteen and conductor Harry Christophers since 2006.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Genesis Kickstart Fund (2021-2023, now closed)

• £1 million fund supporting future-facing arts projects
• Supported 95 projects involving over 1,000 freelance creative professionals
• Typical grant: £10,000
• Application method: Invitation-based nomination by Advisory Council members
• Note: This was a time-limited emergency response to COVID-19

Genesis Foundation Prize

• £25,000 biennial award
• Recognises outstanding mentors of artistic talent
• Application method: Nomination-based
• Winners use the award to fund further transformative mentoring work
• Recent winners include Joe Hill-Gibbins (2025), Nancy Medina (2024), George Turvey (2022)

Genesis COVID-19 Artists Fund (2020, closed)

• £100,000 emergency fund
• Supported freelancers participating in partner organisation training programmes

Institutional Partnership Grants

• Long-term funding partnerships with major arts organisations
• Annual grants distributed to partner organisations
• Not available through public application

Training Programmes (Partnership-Based)

Genesis Almeida New Playwrights, Big Plays Programme

• Supports emerging and mid-career playwrights, especially from underrepresented communities
• Six direct grants for emerging writers
• Monthly script clubs, masterclasses, workshops/readings
• Application method: Through Almeida Theatre partnership
• Recent success: Ava Pickett's “1536” commissioned for main stage after participating in 2021/22

Genesis Sixteen

• Fully-funded programme for young singers aged 18-23
• One-year programme with concentrated courses
• Includes scholarship for emerging choral conductor
• Fully covers tuition plus bursary for additional costs
• Over 300 singers trained since 2011
• Application method: Direct application to The Sixteen (public application available)

Genesis Theatre Design Programme

• Free two-year part-time course training six-eight designers
• Focuses on improving global majority representation in theatre design
• No set qualifications required; open to people of colour over 18 who can study in the UK
• Application method: Direct application to programme (public application available)

Genesis Future Curators Programme (Royal Academy)

• Two full-time paid two-year curatorial positions
• Based in Exhibitions and Collections departments
• Highly competitive (750+ applicants for second cohort)
• Application method: Direct application to Royal Academy when advertised

Genesis Music Theatre Programme (National Theatre)

• Three strands: Attachments, Workshops, and Commissions
• Supports writers and composers developing music theatre
• Application method: Through National Theatre partnership

Priority Areas

• Early-career artists in theatre and music (primary focus)
• Visual arts curatorship and training
• Playwrights from underrepresented communities
• Theatre designers from global majority backgrounds
• Young singers and emerging choral conductors
• Music theatre creators
• Sacred choral music commissioning
• Mentoring and professional development for emerging artists

What They Don't Fund

According to their website, the Genesis Foundation explicitly does NOT fund:

• Unsolicited funding applications from organisations
• Productions
• Festivals
• Individual artist training (outside established programmes)

The Foundation states: “funding is carefully planned several years in advance and is primarily directed towards projects aligned with their existing programmes and partners.”

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Governance and Leadership

Founder and Chairman: John J. Studzinski CBE

• Established the Genesis Foundation in 2001
• Investment banker and philanthropist
• Focuses philanthropic activities on arts and creative industries, human rights, and homelessness
• Winner of 2017 Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award
• Known for quote: “The idea behind Genesis is very much about nurturing young artists... It boils down to someone showing trust in you, mentoring you and developing you.”

Kickstart Fund Advisory Council (30+ members)

Notable members include:

• Barbara Broccoli OBE (Producer, EON Productions) - Special Adviser
• Benedict Cumberbatch CBE (Actor and LAMDA President)
• Grayson Perry (Artist) - Special Adviser
• Rupert Goold CBE (Artistic Director, Almeida Theatre)
• Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE (Artistic Director, Young Vic Theatre)
• Rebecca Salter (President, Royal Academy of Arts)

The Advisory Council's role includes scouting high-quality artistic projects, selecting projects for grants, and mentoring grant recipients.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Genesis Foundation does not accept unsolicited funding applications.

The Foundation operates through:

1. Long-term institutional partnerships: Funding is directed to pre-selected partner organisations including Almeida Theatre, National Theatre, The Sixteen, and Royal Academy of Arts. These partnerships are established by the Foundation and not open to public application.

1. Invitation and nomination-based programmes: For initiatives like the Genesis Kickstart Fund, members of the Advisory Council were invited to nominate artists and organisations to apply. Applications were then reviewed against specific objectives and criteria.

• Genesis Sixteen (through The Sixteen)
• Genesis Theatre Design Programme (direct application)
• Genesis Future Curators Programme (through Royal Academy when positions are advertised)

According to the Foundation's website: “We do not accept unsolicited funding applications, and we do not fund productions, festivals or individual artist training. Funding is carefully planned several years in advance and is primarily directed towards projects aligned with their existing programmes and partners.”

Getting on Their Radar

Note: The following information is specific to how the Genesis Foundation has been documented to identify and select beneficiaries:

Advisory Council Nomination Process: For special programmes like the Genesis Kickstart Fund, the Foundation's Advisory Council of 30+ leading arts figures (including Barbara Broccoli, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Grayson Perry) were invited to nominate artists and organisations. If your work comes to the attention of Council members through your professional activities, this could lead to consideration for future initiatives.

Partnership Organisation Programmes: The most accessible route is through training programmes operated by Genesis Foundation partners that do accept applications:

• Apply to The Sixteen's Genesis Sixteen programme if you're a young singer aged 18-23
• Apply to the Genesis Theatre Design Programme if you're a person of colour over 18 interested in theatre design
• Apply to the Royal Academy's Genesis Future Curators Programme when positions are advertised
• Engage with the Almeida Theatre's Genesis Almeida New Playwrights programme

Existing Relationships with Partner Organisations: The Foundation works through established relationships with major arts institutions. Building a track record with organisations like the Almeida Theatre, National Theatre, The Sixteen, Royal Academy of Arts, or LAMDA may position you to benefit from Genesis-funded initiatives at those institutions.

Recognition and Awards: The Genesis Foundation Prize winners are selected based on their outstanding mentoring work in the arts. Establishing a reputation as an effective mentor and advocate for emerging artists within the sector may bring you to the Foundation's attention.

Application Success Factors

Since the Genesis Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional “success factors” do not apply. However, based on the Foundation's documented priorities and statements, the following factors characterise their funding approach:

Foundation Philosophy and Values

Mentoring as Core Value: John Studzinski has consistently stated: “The idea behind Genesis is very much about nurturing young artists... It boils down to someone showing trust in you, mentoring you and developing you.” The Foundation prioritises programmes that include strong mentoring components and cross-disciplinary networking.

Artists Over Buildings: The Foundation has articulated a clear priority: "For anybody who supports the arts, the priority now has to be the 'basics': the artists themselves and the creative journey they undertake. Traditionally, the largest sums in arts philanthropy have gone to capital projects – buildings and equipment. Now, amidst so much uncertainty, philanthropists should be thinking less about bricks and mortar."

Human Dignity and Networks: According to published sources, Studzinski “consistently emphasises the importance of human dignity and the role in philanthropy of mentoring and active networks.”

Funded Work Characteristics

Early-Career Focus: The Foundation explicitly supports “directors, playwrights, actors and musicians in the early stages of their professional lives” and aims to set “exceptionally talented young people in the arts, primarily active at undergraduate and postgraduate level, firmly on the path to fulfilling their creative and professional potential.”

Underrepresented Communities: Programmes like Genesis Almeida New Playwrights specifically support “emerging and mid-career writers, especially from underrepresented communities,” while the Genesis Theatre Design Programme aims to improve “global majority representation among theatre designers.”

Professional Development and Resilience: The Foundation has “enabled opportunities for thousands of young artists, primarily in theatre and music, building both their experience and their resilience.” Training programmes “equip emerging artists for life as a creative professional.”

Wide Cultural Resonance: The Genesis Almeida programme specifically seeks plays with “wide cultural resonance” for larger stages.

Successful Outcomes

Ava Pickett (Genesis Almeida 2021/22): Had her play “1536” commissioned for the Almeida's main stage in 2025 after participating in the programme, winning the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.

Matthew McKinney (Genesis Sixteen alumnus): Won first prize at the 2024 Kathleen Ferrier Awards.

Alumni Success: Genesis Sixteen alumni have “gone on to sing with leading professional groups such as the BBC Singers, Monteverdi Choir, Swingle Singers and The Sixteen itself and a number of them have established their own independent ensembles.”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. Do not send speculative funding requests.

• Access through training programmes: The most viable route to benefit from Genesis Foundation funding is through their partner programmes that do accept applications (Genesis Sixteen, Genesis Theatre Design Programme, Genesis Future Curators Programme).

• Institutional partnerships are long-term: The Foundation works with established arts organisations through partnerships “carefully planned several years in advance.” These are not open opportunities.

• Mentoring is central: If you're an established professional, building a reputation as an outstanding mentor of emerging artists could position you for consideration for the Genesis Foundation Prize (£25,000).

• Early-career focus: All programmes target emerging artists at undergraduate/postgraduate level or in the early stages of professional careers, not established practitioners seeking project funding.

• Diversity and representation matter: Recent programmes show clear commitment to supporting artists from underrepresented communities and global majority backgrounds.

• Advisory Council nominations: For special initiatives, the Foundation's 30+ member Advisory Council nominates candidates. Professional visibility within the UK arts sector among senior figures could be relevant for future initiatives.

References

1. Genesis Foundation official website - https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/

1. Genesis Foundation: What We Do - https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/what-we-do/

1. Genesis Foundation: Contact - https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/contact/

1. The Sixteen: Genesis Sixteen - https://thesixteen.com/genesis-sixteen/

1. Genesis Foundation: Almeida Theatre Partnership - https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/almeida-theatre/

1. Genesis Foundation: National Theatre Partnership - https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/national-theatre/

1. Genesis Foundation: Royal Academy of Arts Partnership - https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/royal-academy-of-arts/

1. Genesis Theatre Design Programme - https://www.genesisdesigners.uk/

1. Genesis Foundation: £25k Genesis Foundation Prize - https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/genesis-foundation-prize/

1. Genesis Foundation: £1m Genesis Kickstart Fund - https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/genesis-kickstart-fund/

1. Charity Commission: Genesis Foundation (1084555) - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/3978548

1. Charity Commission: Genesis America (UK) Limited (1103351) - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1103351&subid=0

1. Genesis Foundation: About John Studzinski CBE - https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/john-studzinski/

1. Wikipedia: Genesis Foundation (arts charity) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_Foundation_(arts_charity)

1. Arts Professional: “A new genesis for giving” - https://www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/feature/a-new-genesis-for-giving