Sector News

Funding Applications Open for Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust

About the Trust

The Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust provides small scale grants to British artists, designers, writers and performers over the age of 30 who are experiencing financial difficulties in the pursuit of their careers. The Trust was established under the will of Mrs Geraldine Elsie Downes on her death in December 1969. Mrs Downes named the Trust in memory of her father, the author E Phillips Oppenheim, and her son, John Downes.

Posted: 27/07/2023


Awards

Awards are made in December each year, and typically range from £250 – £1,000. Applications may be submitted from the 1 June until the 2 October in order to be considered for an award within the same calendar year.

The Trust welcomes applications from professional or aspiring artists, designers, writers and performers working in any of the following disciplines:

  • Visual arts (including painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture and work in other media)
  • Crafts (including ceramics, glass, metalwork, woodcarving, textiles and work in other media)
  • Music (musicians, composers and conductors)
  • Design (including fashion, product design/innovation and work in digital media)
  • Performing arts (actors, dancers and individual performance artists of any other kind)
  • Creative writing (poets, novelists, librettists and creative writers of any other kind)
  • Film & digital media

Eligibility criteria

You must be over 30 years old on 1 December in the year that you apply in order to be eligible for an award, and also be a British Subject born within Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. See terms and conditions for further details.

If you would like to apply, please click HERE or contact us to request a form through the post.

Your application form will contain instructions on where to send it.

Deadline 2 October 2023


"Just to say a huge thanks ... I am looking forward to progressing with this project thanks to your support, advice and guidance"

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