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Carousel is an award winning organisation that nurtures the talents of adults, young people and children with learning disabilities, through a range of projects in music, radio, performance, tv, film and digital art. Projects include workshops to explore the arts right through to high profile events that showcase people’s artwork in professional settings. Carousel seeks to find routes of access and development for learning disabled children and adults supporting them to reach their artistic goals.
Over half of Carousel’s Board of Trustees have learning disabilities, and each of their programmes are planned and evaluated by a team of learning disabled (LD) artists. Many of the people worked with have additional health needs, sensory impairment or physical disability.

The Radcliffe Trust’s funding allowed The Chorus to deliver 5 workshops for LD young people aged 16-18 in 2 locations. The total number of attendees was 61.
The workshops were run with East Lewes College at their base in Lewes and with Team Domenica in Brighton. Both rooms were familiar to participants to ensure the settings felt safe and comfortable.
In addition to introducing and promoting the many benefits of group singing, other opportunities for young LD people were promoted, including Carousel’s accessible and safe social events for LD people in the region. This has helped reach and engage the next generation of LD creative talent across the projects.
Following the open workshop, one young person subsequently joined the Chorus as a full-time member and attended rehearsals, learning the Chorus’ repertoire and getting to know members.
Over the Radcliffe Trust’s grant period, there have been a total of 6 workshops and 10 rehearsals for the Chorus.

The generous grant from The Radcliffe Trust enabled The Nelson Trust to fund an experienced Woodwork Tutor for 12 months, who facilitated weekly 2-hour sessions for their clients who are in recovery from addiction.

A total of 67 clients accessed these sessions, usually for a period of 6 weeks. During this time they learned a range of skills, gained confidence in using hand and power tools and created a range of wonderful objects. Each client passed a competency test for all the machines used during the sessions. They started making a small project, for example a small photo frame and then worked up to create a box or stool. Once their projects had been constructed the participants then went on to experiment with paint effects, decoupage and pyrography. Many of the participants gave their items to loved ones and expressed how proud they were of creating something from scratch. For some it was the first time they had completed a project of any kind.

The confidence and motivation that comes from practical, meaningful work has a huge impact on our clients ongoing self-esteem and ability to sustain their recovery. Many clients complete treatment on site and then return to their own homes. Having a new found confidence to use wood and attempt small DIY projects is an important part of building independent life skills.

One client said:
“Doing woodwork has been a beneficial part of my treatment. I’ve found it therapeutic and calming. I feel a sense of achievement from the work I’ve completed, and I have learned new skills, some I can use in everyday life like being able to use a drill. I feel capable of that which I couldn’t before”

These sessions have ignited a spark of interest in crafts, giving clients a new interest that they can pursue when they leave. Having meaningful creative and practical interests to focus on is vital for sustaining recovery long term.

The workshops have been so well received The Nelson Trust would like to double the workshop provision they offer to single sex groups, to allow those who have experienced domestic violence to work, learn and experiment in an environment they feel safe in.

The Purcell School’s, well respected, Masterclass Programme received funding from the Radcliffe Trust to expand a range of vital masterclasses to enhance the students’ instrumental studies and offer individual exposure to the wider music world.

Saxophone Masterclass: Simon Haram, February 2024

Over 100 students have benefitted from masterclasses funded by The Radcliffe Trust. The students have accessed teachings ordinarily unavailable due to the costs involved and have had opportunities to learn from some of the best musicians in their field. The teachings by these eminent musicians have been indispensable, particularly for those auditioning for conservatoire places who asked for detailed and specific advice.

The Purcell School have also benefited from exposing the talent of the students to significant figures from the musical world.

The impact of the funded masterclasses has been immeasurable, with a vast amount of individual outcomes and successes being attributed to the teaching of our visiting musicians.

Without these great masterclasses, the students at The Purcell School would not have experienced as well-rounded musical education or truly had the opportunity to prepare themselves for life in the industry.

With grateful thanks once again to The Radcliffe Trust.

Yorkshire Artspace applied to The Radcliffe Trust for a grant to support two bursaries for their Silver Fellowships. They were awarded a grant in 2023 which enabled them to offer settled bench access, technical support, mentoring, skills masterclasses and networking to two very worthy candidates. Both Fellows benefited from learning new skills and techniques in a person-to-person context rather than online as they were both able to get direct input in real time.

The Radcliffe Trust bursary Silver Fellowship recipients Morvarid Alavifard and Shinta Nakajima

Shinta says “the workshops were instrumental in refining my craftsmanship, with the insights and techniques shared by local masters significantly influencing my work over the year”. Morvarid says ‘learning about spinning from one of the last metal spinners in the country has opened up more possibilities for me and how I might refine my production process’.

Yorkshire Artspace have newly refurbished their Silver Space facility for silversmiths and fine metal workers at Yorkshire Artspace (YAS) in Sheffield. The Bursary awards, not only supported the two silversmiths but also helped to put Silver Space on the map as the inclusive hub for silver and metalsmithing in the North.

Spitalfields Music exists to build communities across London’s East End through music. The aim is to bring artists, audiences and communities together so everyone can find, explore and share extraordinary music in one of the most vibrant areas of London.
The Radcliffe Trust have supported Spitalfields Festival Ltd for many years and in 2023 awarded a grant for their New Young Voice Collective to provide young people from Newham and Tower Hamlets with free opportunities for musical development, such as courses, one to one support and support and encouragement to aim for higher education.

All the Young Artists received one-to-one and group support from music director, Naveen Arles, alongside guest conductors and tutors, including members of the BBC Singers who have a longstanding relationship with Spitalfields Festival, and Leanne Sedin, an astonishing vocal leader based in Tower Hamlets. This separate weekly time for the older singers, after the main rehearsal, is much valued by the young people, giving them a safe space to experiment as musicians and to build confidence. Everyone has multiple opportunities to lead the vocal group over the course of the year, with many suggesting repertoires to be sung and working alongside the pianist and arranger, Steve Lodder, to realise their ideas. The sessions cover everything from how to lead warm-ups, to developing vocal techniques, and from making applications to FE/HE institutions to open a bank account and how to invoice for work done.

Developing their musicianship has paid off. One YA has now founded his own choir but maintains his links with New YVC to ensure he continues to learn and stays in touch with musical friends. He has also developed a close relationship with Nav and our administrator, Abigail, who have helped with the more practical elements of running an ensemble.

The Bodleian Library has a remarkable portraits collection, representing unique visual stories of the history of the Libraries and the University of Oxford. “Portrait of an Unknown Lady” urgently required conservation in order to secure it for future generations.  The Radcliffe Trust awarded the library a grant for this wonderful project.

The grant was spent employing the services of specialist conservator Dr Harriet Standeven to conserve the portrait. The current portrait of an unknown woman was revealed in 1838, when an overpainted image of Mary Queen of Scots was removed. At that time a thick, natural resin varnish was applied, and it is likely that the fixed strainer on the reverse of the panel was also adhered. The panel exhibited both structural and aesthetic problems and the aim of the treatment was to stabilise it and improve its appearance, making it available for future study.

The cracked panel was re-glued, a non-yellowing synthetic resin varnish was applied, losses to the paint layer and small gaps in the panel were filled with pigmented wax/resin, and the extensive losses retouched; all these materials are non-yellowing and easily removed should it be required in the future.

The panel will now go to a specialist framer and will be fitted in a bespoke frame: this will support the panel whilst allowing it to respond to fluctuations in temperature and humidity. No additional supporting structure will be added to the reverse of the panel.

The Bodleian Library have been able to ensure the long-term future of this portrait and enable visitors and scholars to view it safely and without risk of further deterioration. Without the contribution from The Radcliffe Trust they would not have been able to achieve this.

The Radcliffe Trust have awarded Ulster Youth Orchestra a number of grants since 2009, the grant in 2023 helped to support the Ulster Youth Orchestra’s 30th Anniversary Summer Residential Course and Concerts.  The project had a significant impact on both the beneficiaries and the organisation, this was shown clearly by the feedback from the young people:-

“Thanks so much for the phenomenal 10 days of UYO and giving me the opportunity to be a part of it, I learnt so much and got so many opportunities to speak to people and gain advice in pursuing music and I’ll forever be grateful for that.”

“UYO has given me some of the best memories of my life, I couldn’t recommend it enough. Like-minded young people from every corner of Ireland came together this year to make some unbelievable music, and we will never forget it.”

Finding funders in Northern Ireland has been difficult recently. The Ulster Youth Orchestra had reported that without this grant, they might have had to reduce the quality of the course in 2023.  They are very proud of their organisation and are reluctant to compromise on quality.

Young Music Makers of Dyfed aims to encourage young people to compose, and in doing so elevate their horizons as to the standards of this artistic discipline.  The Young Composer scheme is unique.

The Radcliffe Trust has been delighted to support this Young Music Makers of Dyfed initiative with two grants.  Last year they employed Lynne Plowman as the Resident Composer and a professional Ensemble was provided by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, as part of the BBC NOW education outreach programme so the ensemble fees and costs were covered by the BBC this significantly reduced the overall expenditure.

The musicians develop year on year and gain experience not found in the school classroom.  Some move on to study composition at university with one former student taking a place at The Purcell School this year, a wonderful accolade.  The six students in the photograph below were selected to take part in the concert for Young Musician.

Bishopsland is an internationally recognised and accredited charity dedicated to the training and education of young people in the craft of silversmithing in the United Kingdom. 

Bishopsland Educational Trust have secured a number of recent grants from The Radcliffe Trust for the internationally recognised work they do. 

These grants have been used for masterclasses for post-graduate emerging silversmiths and jewellers, staging exhibitions of Fellows and students of silversmithing and jewellery at the Clothworkers’ Hall, and providing bursary support for emerging silversmiths. 

Masterclasses, of only 5 emerging makers supported by a Radcliffe Trust grant, utilise workshops and facilities. All makers are encouraged to continue practising and refining the skills they have been taught so that they can subsequently produce work for sale either on The Bishopsland website or at one of a number of exhibitions hosted by Bishopsland Educational Trust. Some of this cohort (pictured) focused on enamelling jewellery pieces, and others developed a number of beakers, bowls and vases.

The Bishopsland programme provides a bridge between full time education and the ability to make a living as an independent maker or within a trade setting, such as a commercial silversmith or jeweller. For emerging makers to have the best chance of succeeding once they leave Bishopsland, it’s critical that they have confidence in their design and making abilities. Over the 30 year history of the Bishopsland Educational Trust, they have provided 4 or 5 day intensive master-led skills training courses and have found this is the best means of quickly upskilling and gaining confidence. 

The Bishopsland Educational Trust have reported that The Radcliffe Trust’s grants have made a significant difference over the years.