Cockayne Foundation celebrates 10th anniversary with £1 million in grants
for London arts organisations
The Cockayne Foundation, known for its support of high-quality arts projects, has announced the recipients of its 10th anniversary grants, awarding 10 exceptional grants of £100,000 each to arts organisations in London. These grants, made through the Cockayne Grants for the Arts donor-advised fund at The London Community Foundation, aim to foster artistic excellence and ground-breaking programmes in the arts community.
Among the recipients are renowned institutions like Britten Sinfonia, London Sinfonietta and the Wigmore Hall, each receiving support for their innovative projects in music. Britten Sinfonia, for instance, will utilise the grant for its “Play on Campaign” to provide lead support for its flagship London performances over the next two years, focusing on new commissions and premieres. The London Sinfonietta will create a “New Commissioning Fund” to fund the commissioning, development and world premiere performances of eight major new contemporary classical works in London during the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons.
In the realm of opera, the Royal Opera House Foundation has received a commissioning grant for a major new main stage opera by Philip Venables, while in the dance sector, Russell Maliphant Dance Company is funded for the immediate commissioning of a new work by Maliphant and Saburo Teshigawara.
Theatrical ventures are also supported, with the Royal Court Theatre receiving assistance to celebrate its 10th anniversary and the arrival of David Byrne as the new Artistic Director. Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) and Rambert have been chosen for their interdisciplinary arts projects, highlighting the diverse range of artistic endeavours supported by the Cockayne Foundation.
In total, 65 further Cockayne Grants for the Arts awards were made in London to celebrate the foundation’s 10th anniversary year. These grants span a wide spectrum of artistic disciplines, from music and opera to dance, theatre and interdisciplinary arts projects, reflecting the foundation’s commitment to nurturing artistic talent and innovation in the UK capital.