Are you an emerging artist looking for funding? The New Initiatives Fund could be for you.
Last awarded to emerging artists in 2019, The Oxford School of Drama’s New Initiatives Fund is back for 2025 thanks to vital support from The Garrick Charitable Trust. The Garrick Charitable Trust is passionate about supporting the work of OSD grads who are early career creatives, particularly new work that can challenge or expand arts within the UK; they recognise that OSD is a community that shares these values and whose graduates create high-quality industry-leading work.
The Garrick Charitable Trust
Named after legendary actor-manager David Garrick, the Garrick Club opened in 1831 and to this day is renowned for its artistic and theatrical background. in 2001, the club sold its interest in the Disney Corporation and used the funds to create The Garrick Charitable Trust.
The Trust and the Club operate separately, with the Trust particularly passionate about supporting emerging artists on stage and screen in the early stages of their careers.
OSD’s Commitment to Emerging Artists
The ideas of Craft, Collaboration, and Creativity are central to the training here at OSD, which is why it has always been particularly important for us to help alumni from the school who embody those three ideals in their professional lives. We have always upheld the power of creating your own work, and now, with the support of The Garrick Charitable Trust, we can once again support our entrepreneurial, collaborative, and creative alumni as they seek to further their craft.
The New Initiatives Fund, in its earlier iteration, was a hugely popular scheme releasing £4,000 worth of funding in 2015, 2017, and 2019, supporting 18 projects, including those by Wildcard Theatre, Redfox Theatre, and two-time Olivier Award nominee Maimuna Memon.
The Oxford School of Drama will award several grants from The New Initiatives Fund. This fund is available to support projects set up by recent graduates who have been working in the industry for at least one year and is specifically intended to support the creation of new and original work, be that on stage or screen. The project must have a recent graduate in a role of creative responsibility (director, producer, writer, artistic director, etc).
The grant can be used in several ways, such as to support creative teams, venue hire costs, film festival submissions, or travel expenses for a tour. You could also seek funding for more long-term or large-scale projects, such as research and development costs, marketing costs, or paying actors to perform a rehearsed reading of a work in progress.
Priority will be given to projects that:
- Can demonstrate they have been well organised and show robust financial planning
- Challenge and take forward the arts in the UK
- Have a long-term future
- Involve a number of Oxford School of Drama graduates
Grants will be no more than £1,000 but will likely be between £250 and £500. To qualify for the grant you must be a graduate of the One or Three Year course from the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023.
Consideration will be given to projects that demonstrate financial viability and professional standards. Applicants will be shortlisted and invited to a Zoom interview in July 2025. Presentation at the interview will be taken into account when making final decisions.
Grants will be decided by a panel consisting of an OSD alumni, an OSD staff member and an invited representative from the industry. If successful in receiving a grant, applicants will also be provided some mentorship/support from a member of the interview panel to help move their project aims forward.
Interested in Funding for Emerging Artists?
Applications for the Fund are open now and can be made by letter or pitch deck (other creative approaches welcome!). All you need to do is download the application form by clicking the button below. Fill this out and return it to our Development Manager, Sophie Thornton, along with your project outline/pitch.
The deadline for applying to the fund is 5 pm, Friday 20th June 2025. All applications must be emailed to s.thornton@oxforddrama.ac.uk by 5 pm on the 20th of June. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a Zoom interview in July 2025 with a view to notify successful applicants within five working days of the final interview taking place.
Download your application form by clicking the button below! We look forward to reading your applications.
