Fidelio Charitable Trust — Grants for Arts (Music, Opera, Composition)

A small UK trust, endowed in 2008 by a teacher with a particular love of music, that funds arts projects which simply would not happen otherwise. Music, including composition and operatic work, is a core interest. It supports specific, dated activity — a project, a performance, a course, a piece of work you can cost out — and never work already carried out.

The catch that trips most people up: you cannot apply for yourself. Individuals and groups must be nominated by an appropriate UK institution, college, arts festival or similar organisation, preferably a registered charity, and a named person there must vouch for your ability, explain their professional relationship with you and describe how you were selected. Applications from people seeking support for themselves, or from parents for school-age children's course or competition fees, are not considered. There is no nationality restriction and the work itself may take place overseas, but the beneficiaries must be UK-based. The trustees particularly want to hear from people at an early career stage.

Grants are capped at £5,000 and are usually for no more than a year. Funds are limited, so part-funding is common — you are asked what other money you have sought and, if none, why. The application is a downloadable PDF form plus an optional single side of A4, emailed rather than posted. Trustees meet three times a year and aim to notify successful applicants within two months; unsuccessful applicants are not contacted at all, and the trustees do not discuss reasons.