News Article

UK Performing Arts Charities and Organisations who can offer you help and support

The Performing Arts industry can be a tough and volatile industry especially in these difficult times. Sometimes you or someone you know may need help or support during or after your career.

It may be help to make ends meet, support your child through education or perhaps you are faced with unexpected challenges like an illness or injury.

It’s not always easy asking for help but you’re not alone!

There are organisations out there who can help performers in their time of need. Often set up by people who have had similar experiences to you they really do understand what you’re going through.

Below is a list of amazing charities and organisations who may be able to offer you advice and support should you ever find yourself in need of a helping hand.  

We wish you all the best!

Actors’ Children's Trust (ACT)  - provide financial, practical and emotional support to help parents working in an unpredictable acting industry
https://actorschildren.org/

Dancers’ Career Development (DCD) - are there for all current and former professional dancers whatever stage you are at in your career
https://thedcd.org.uk/

Dance Professionals Fund -provide financial support for ballet dancers, contemporary dancers and also choreographers.
https://www.dancefund.org.uk

Acting for Others - provides both financial and emotional support to theatre workers in times of need
https://actingforothers.co.uk/

The Actors’ Benevolent Fund (ABF) - gives financial support for professional actors and stage managers who are experiencing hardship and are unable to work due to illness, injury or old age. 
https://www.actorsbenevolentfund.co.uk/apply/application-enquiry

British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) - provide expert health and wellbeing services for those working in the performing arts
https://www.bapam.org.uk/

The Evelyn Norris Trust - provides holiday grants to members of the concert, performing and theatrical professions who are convalescing, undergoing treatment, are in poor health or in need of a longed-for break.
http://www.equitycharitabletrust.org.uk/other-grants/evelyn-norris-trust

The Grand Order of Water Rats - is a fund which helps performers and their dependents who are unable to work because of old age or disability. 
http://www.gowr.co.uk/charities-fund/charities-fund

Denville Hall is - a residential home for actors and other members of the theatrical profession They provide support for residential care, enhanced residential care, nursing care, dementia care, palliative care and short stay, with nurses and carers on duty 24 hours a day. 
https://www.denvillehall.org.uk

The Drury Lane Theatrical Fund - offer financial help for subscribers and, where possible, performers and stage management who have worked at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane who have been forced to retire, through age or ill health. 
https://www.drurylanefund.com

The Equity Charitable Trust - offer one-off welfare grants to cover a shortfall should you be faced with an unforeseen medical, financial or professional circumstance. feet.
http://www.equitycharitabletrust.org.uk/financial-help

The Royal Opera House Benevolent Fund - provides confidential advice, emotional support and financial assistance to those past and present employees (and their dependants) of the Royal Opera House and Birmingham Royal Ballet in need of help.
https://www.roh.org.uk/about/benevolent-fund

The Royal Theatrical Fund - the Fleabag Support Fund is now open.
The objective of this fund is to provide a small crisis grant to those that prove the greatest need. Check if you are eligible http://www.trtf.com

The Royal Variety Charity - assists those who've worked professionally in the entertainment industry and are in need of help. The charity strives to support all those, both young and old, who've worked on the stage, in the wings, in front of a camera, or behind it, as well as all those who have spent their lives working in the numerous support industries dedicated to entertainment..
https://www.royalvarietycharity.org/royal-variety-charity

SafetyCurtain - a international lifeline for performers at risk across a dangerous world, provide financial support, enabling actors in poverty and distress to survive and thrive.
https://www.safetycurtain.org.uk/

The Ralph and Meriel Richardson Foundation - helps to relieve the need, hardship or distress of British actors (and their spouses and children) who find themselves in less fortunate circumstances. Applicants will need to have professionally practised or contributed to the Theatrical Arts - on stage, film, television or radio - for a minimum of 15 years. 
http://www.sirralphrichardson.org.uk

National Theatre Foundation - may be able to assist employees, former employees or others who work or have worked at the National Theatre who are suffering a financial crisis or hardship.
https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/about-the-national-theatre/key-facts-and-figures/national-theatre-foundation

Theatre Chaplaincy UK (TCUK) - offers pastoral and practical support to those of all faiths and none, who are engaged in the performing arts.Through the work of its chaplains and supporters, TCUK seeks to bring together faith and theatre for the enrichment of both.
https://theatrechaplaincyuk.com/about

Scottish Showbusiness Benevolent Fund - extend relief to artistes who are in needy circumstances, through old age, illness or other reasons and to give every case that comes before the Fund the utmost sympathetic consideration. It is not only to members of the Fund that financial relief is granted. Their widows, their children or their dependants if in necessitous circumstances are also among those to whom benevolence is readily extended in the form of grants or in a variety of other ways.
https://ssbf.co.uk

The Theatrical Guild - charity supporting Backstage and Front of House staff. Talk to them about practical help at any stage of your career – including financial support, welfare advice, retraining and counselling.
https://ttg.org.uk

TheatreMAD (Make A Difference Trust) - the Trust have made the difficult decision to suspend our grant making until further notice but keep checking back, difficult times ae not here forever! 
https://www.madtrust.org.uk/what-we-do

 

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