Organisation | Achievement Bute |
Amount awarded | £35,474 over 3 years |
Date awarded | February 2019 |
Project location | Isle of Bute |
Participants | Children and young people 5 to 12 years, some with disabilities that make it challenging to access arts activities |
Artform | Performing Arts |
Project | Jumping off the Stage
A three-year project to enable children to devise their own drama and multi-media performances in different locations on Bute with support from experienced arts practitioners. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | This well-planned, innovative project will engage children with and without disabilities living on the Isle of Bute in high quality, innovative arts activities. The partnership with Rothesay Pavilion will help to anchor the project and build legacy. |
Website | http://www.achievementbute.org.uk |
The Ragdoll Foundation
Open Grants Scheme
Grants Awarded 2018-19
Organisation | Artichoke Trust |
Amount awarded | £7,300 over 10 months |
Date awarded | February 2019 |
Project location | County Durham |
Participants | Local young people 15-18 years old who attend the Creative Industry programme at East Durham College |
Artform | Digital Media |
Project | Lift Off
A new project for young people in Peterlee linking both to the 50th birthday of the Apollo Pavilion in Peterlee and the 2019 Lumiere Festival in Durham. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | This strong project combines participation in a high profile arts festival with creative learning and skills transfer. Reaching out to young people in disadvantaged circumstances will ultimately encourage greater diversity in the creative industries. |
Website | www.lumiere-festival.com |
Organisation | Dance in Devon |
Amount awarded | £28,950 over 2 years |
Date awarded | February 2019 |
Project location | Devon and Torbay |
Participants | Children and young people 10-18 years old with a range of learning disabilities |
Artform | Dance |
Project | The Elbow Room
A new project to create opportunities for expression, peer support, social skill development and physical play for disabled and challenged young people undergoing transitions, especially in and between schools. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | A well-devised project and well-written application. The trustees hope that Ragdoll Foundation funding will help to lever additional financial support for Dance in Devon’s high quality work. |
Website | https://danceindevon.org.uk |
Organisation | Home-Start Knowsley |
Amount awarded | £8,000 over 8 months |
Date awarded | June 2018 |
Project location | Knowsley |
Participants | Children 5-11 years old living in the local area |
Artform | Performing Arts |
Project | Family Drama Workshop Programme
A pilot programme of family drama workshops to inspire children, develop their imaginative thinking, and strengthen relationships within the family unit. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | This project was set apart from other holiday arts projects through its articulation of context and need, and the fact that the young people will work with an experienced theatre company. The project has the potential to support strategic change for participants by creating social capital, building a sense of belonging, strengthening family life and raising aspirations. |
Website | http://homestartknowsley.org.uk |
Organisation | Imaginarium Theatre UK |
Amount awarded | £8,720 |
Date awarded | June 2018 |
Project location | Knowsley |
Participants | Young people 12-18 years old living in the local area |
Artform | Theatre |
Project | Knowsley Youth Theatre
A new youth theatre for 12-18 year olds in Knowsley Borough, targeting areas of low arts engagement. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | A well- thought out application that delivers high quality engagement and value for money. It is hoped that Ragdoll Foundation support will help the group to establish itself and attract ongoing funding from other sources for future projects. |
Website | https://www.imaginariumtheatre.co.uk |
Organisation | Kinship Care NI |
Amount awarded | £4,075 over 9 months |
Date awarded | June 2018 |
Project location | Derry / Londonderry |
Participants | Children 3-11 years old living in ‘kinship care’ – being looked after by a family member other than a parent |
Artform | Mixed Arts |
Project | Me and My Family
A programme of arts activities and interventions to support children living in kinship care to express feelings and come to terms with earlier, often traumatic, life experiences. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | A well-written application and well-developed project that will reach vulnerable children in extreme need. A relatively low amount of investment has the potential to deliver high impact. |
Website | https://kinshipcareni.com |
Organisation | Make a Move |
Amount awarded | £7,020 over 12 months |
Date awarded | October 2018 |
Project location | Schools in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset |
Participants | Children 7-11 years old who are not able to access arts activities due to complex needs |
Artform | Dance |
Project | Make a Move for Children
A dance project to cultivate the learning independence and attainment of primary school pupils across South Bristol and northeast Somerset through music, movement and dance, as well as talking therapy. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | This project develops Make A Move’s work in a new and strategic way. Working with current partner schools should help it to establish the new work quickly and focus on engaging children who are not currently participating in dance activities. |
Website | https://www.makeamove.org.uk |
Organisation | New Vic Theatre |
Amount awarded | £7,514 over 2 years |
Date awarded | October 2018 |
Project location | New Vic Theatre |
Participants | Children and young people 5-15 years old who have recently experienced bereavement |
Artform | Performing Arts |
Project | Tale Trail: Wind in the Willows & Prince and the Pauper
A pilot project in partnership with two local hospices to explore whether and how drama interventions can support young children to come to terms with recent bereavement. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | The New Vic has a strong track-record of developing high quality projects for children and young people. This project explores whether theatre interventions can have a positive, healing influence on children experiencing bereavement, and has the potential to become a model of good practice in this area. |
Website | http://www.newvictheatre.org.uk |
Organisation | OperaUpClose |
Amount awarded | £13,350 over 9 months |
Date awarded | October 2018 |
Project location | Gallions School in Newham, London |
Participants | Children 3-5 years old living in the local area |
Artform | Opera |
Project | Early Years Opera Development Programme: Peace At Last
A new opera created by and for 3-5 year olds based on Jill Murphy’s popular book, to be developed through a series of workshops with children from Gallions Primary School in Newham. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | Ragdoll Foundation support means that this new work will be developed in close consultation with and active participation by young children. Music Hub involvement is strong and adds value and reach to the project. |
Website | https://www.operaupclose.com |
Organisation | PaddleBoat Theatre Company CIC |
Amount awarded | £25,217 over 6 months |
Date awarded | June 2018 |
Project location | Exeter Schools and Northcott Theatre |
Participants | Children and young people 7-16 years old from 5 Exeter schools in the same locality: primary, secondary, specialist school for children with visual impairments, Exeter Deaf Academy, and a school for children with complex needs |
Artform | Theatre |
Project | Hansel and Gretel
A new multi-schools project to develop an inclusive, interactive production for children aged 3-6 and their families, in partnership with the Northcott Theatre. Workshops with 5 diverse schools informed development of the new play and participants also created their own performances to share with each other at a showcase event at the theatre. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | PaddleBoat has a wonderful energy and drive, and this application also demonstrated high artistic and engagement values throughout. The engagement methodology is sound and the child-led voice convincing. Although relatively expensive for a shorter project, in this case the risk was worth taking because of the potential impact and benefits. |
Website | https://www.paddleboattheatre.co.uk |
Organisation | Philharmonia Orchestra |
Amount awarded | £10,000 over 12 months |
Date awarded | February 2019 |
Project location | Leicestershire and Leicester City |
Participants | Young musicians 10-15 years old |
Artform | Instrumental Music |
Project | Young Fellowship Programme
A new programme for talented Black and Minority Ethnic children and young people in Leicestershire that focuses on the transition points where young people are likely to give up playing an instrument. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | This project focuses on skills transfer and has real potential to sow seeds of change within the UK orchestra sector. Strongly developed local links will support launching the project and sustainability. |
Website | https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/education |
Organisation | Restoke CIC |
Amount awarded | £12,940 over 2 years |
Date awarded | June 2018 |
Project location | Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent |
Participants | Children 5-11 years old living in the local area |
Artform | Dance |
Project | Restoke Small Folk
A new children’s dance company for 5-11 year-olds in Stoke-on-Trent, focusing on creative, child-led dance supported by professional dance artists as well as artists working in other disciplines. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | This project is well-structured, well-thought-out and strategic. The Potteries is an area with significant economic and social needs and this project will deliver high quality arts engagement and participation, with the potential to feed into Restoke’s ambitious youth programme due to begin in 2020. |
Website | https://www.restoke.org.uk/youth |
Organisation | Soundart Radio |
Amount awarded | £17,370 over 2 years |
Date awarded | October 2018 |
Project location | Soundart Studio and Totnes Schools |
Participants | Local children 4-6 years old |
Artform | Radio |
Project | Every Child has a Voice
An ambitious project that supports Soundart’s vision that every child in Totnes should have the opportunity to participate in community radio throughout their childhood. This project introduces broadcasting to children in reception year through fun and creative workshops, followed by a visit to Soundart’s studio to broadcast their work. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | This is the strongest proposal the Ragdoll Foundation has received to date in broadcast media – a highly creative project working with very young children. |
Website | http://www.soundartradio.org.uk/services/projects/every-child-has-a-voice/ |
Organisation | Southend Choirs |
Amount awarded | £5,000 over 3 years |
Date awarded | June 2018 |
Project location | Southend-on-Sea |
Participants | Local children 3-6 years old |
Artform | Song, Choral Music |
Project | Little Singers
A new weekly choir for children 3-6 years old and their parents or carers to encourage and develop creative imagination, musical skills and enjoyment from an early age, and to support adults to enjoy music with younger children. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | This project delivers high quality choral engagement that is a strategic next step for the organisation. It also represents excellent value for money. |
Website | https://www.southendchoirs.org.uk/index.php |
Organisation | Southwark Playhouse |
Amount awarded | £5,400 over 3 months |
Date awarded | October 2018 |
Project location | In schools and at Southwark Playhouse |
Participants | Local children in key stage two living in Elephant & Castle, South London |
Artform | Theatre, Playwriting |
Project | Future Voices
A term of writing workshops led by professional playwrights for key stage two children from schools in neighbouring Elephant and Castle, South London. The project developed language and creative writing skills and culminated in the pupils’ work being performed by actors on stage at Southwark Playhouse. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | This project will engage local schoolchildren with playwriting and the theatre. It has strong potential to develop a model of good practice within the sector. |
Website | https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk |
Organisation | The Turnpike |
Amount awarded | £20,000 over 2 years |
Date awarded | February 2019 |
Project location | The Turnpike, Leigh |
Participants | Children and young people 6-18 years old living in the local area. |
Artform | Combined Arts |
Project | 2020 Vision
To support 2020 Vision, a broad programme of participatory arts activity for children and young people leading to a range of artistic outcomes in the year 2020. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | This application was well-developed and closely matched Ragdoll Foundation priority areas. The themes are tight enough to create links between the final art pieces but broad enough that each group of young people will be able to steer their project, ensuring that their voices are heard and the themes developed in ways appropriate to the group. |
Website | https://www.theturnpike.org.uk |
Organisation | Whippet Up CIC |
Amount awarded | £14,188 over 12 months |
Date awarded | October 2018 |
Project location | Saltburn Valley Gardens |
Participants | Young children up to 5 years old and their families living in Saltburn, Redcar and Cleveland |
Artform | Mixed Visual Arts |
Project | Woodland Wonders
A new outdoor arts project in which pre-school age children, their parents or carers and artists create new artworks, environments and exhibitions in and around the Saltburn Valley Woodlands Centre. |
What the Ragdoll Foundation trustees said about this project | This project has elements of risk (a new CIC without an established track-record) however we are convinced by the grassroots, asset-based community development approach, and the compelling need for good quality arts engagement activities in the Redcar and Cleveland area. |
Website | https://whippetup.wixsite.com/oursite/woodland-wonders |