The Britten-Pears Foundation and Snape Maltings have announced that they will be merging their organisations to create the Benjamin Britten Foundation (BBF). Both charities will support the development of new musical talent while also taking care of the heritage of composer Benjamin Britten and his personal and professional partner, Peter Pears.
The foundation will be based in two world-renowned locations, only six miles apart in Aldeburgh and Snape, Suffolk. It will encompass musical performance, artist development, composition, scholarship and education activities.
Sarah Bardwell, chief executive of the Foundation and Roger Wright, chief executive of Snape Maltings commented: “It was Britten and Pears’ intention to have one foundation and by merging we will create new possibilities and opportunities to promote their legacies.”
The Britten-Pears Foundation is run from The Red House in Aldeburgh, the former home of Britten and Pears, and serves as an archive and study centre for their musical legacy. Snape Maltings, meanwhile, supports performance and talent development through its concert hall.
BBF will bring together the comprehensive collections and archives at The Red House with the Concert Hall and creative campus at Snape Maltings. Snape Maltings will continue to grow its role as an Arts Council England National Centre of Excellence by providing leadership in the fields of music and creative health, talent development and residencies.
The merger is set to be completed by April 2020. The charities will continue to increasingly work closer together by performing Britten’s music, support composition and creativity, and showcasing Britten and Pears’ art collection, manuscripts and archives.
