Aims/priorities: The aim of the Trust is to give people of all ages the opportunities to access, participate in and enjoy the arts (particularly the performing arts), and support projects that widen access and have a lasting cultural impact on local communities.
The application periods for 2026 are as follows:
- Round 1 - Music festivals (children's performances are excluded)
- Round 2 - Early career artists' performance programmes focusing on performance opportunities
- Round 3 - Children and young people's music education (choirs are excluded)
Music education and engagement projects for children will be considered at every grants round
Most grants will be awarded for specific projects, but the Trust will also contributions towards the core costs of smaller organisations where a grant could make an impact.
Who can apply? The Trust mostly supports registered charities.
Applications will also be considered from social enterprises, community groups, and other third sector organisations, as long as they are formally constituted and have clear charitable purposes.
Priority will be given to small and medium sized organisations.
Grant amount: Grant awards generally start at a few hundred pounds.
The Trust has previously awarded multi-year grants of up to £30,000 per annum, however applicants are advised that the majority of grants awarded are considerably less than this.
The Trust only awards a small number of grants each year.
Application process: In 2026, the Trust will once again focus each of their three grant rounds on a different category of music projects.
The application process is as follows:
- To start the application process, organisations should first take complete the eligibility checks which can be accessed on the Scops Arts Trust website.
- Organisations that fulfill the criteria will be invited to make a Stage 1 online application.
- A Stage 2 shortlist will then be drawn up and the selected applicants will be invited to complete a Stage 2 online application form.
Contact Scops Arts Trust for further information.
Deadline: Tuesday 15 September 2026.
Contact information: Email: info@scopsartstrust.org.uk