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GRANT ROUND 9 UNDERWAY!

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we opened Grant Round 9 on the 9th January 2025, offering £100,000 in project grants ranging in size from £2,000 to £8,000.

The application submission period is now closed, and evaluations are underway. Grant Round Nine will support projects scheduled to take place between May and October 2025.

The objective of our grants is to provide the funds and confidence needed for ensembles to plan and carry out a range of projects that will bring inspiring live music to communities across the UK, particularly in areas which lack access to high calibre classical music. 

Round 9 continues the eligibility category first introduced in 2022 to support emerging ensembles. We are keen to enable these musicians, many of whom are graduates from 2020-2024, to gain the visibility and performing experience needed to build careers. 

Grant award decisions are expected to be announced by Friday 21 March 2025.   
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GRANT PARAMETERS

Applicants were invited to request amounts ranging from £2,000 to £8,000 to support UK projects scheduled to take place from 1 May to 31 October 2025. For recently formed ensembles (formed ca. June 2020 - October 2024), we prefer to support live concerts or tours but will consider a recording if this would make a material difference to the ensemble's career prospects. 
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For example, grant proceeds could be used by a period-instrument ensemble to:
 
  • enable a concert with a larger number of musicians at risk of being downsized
  • fund a new project where there is uncertainty about audience take-up
  • support a tour of a new or existing programme to new UK locations
  • fund the recording of repertoire not previously recorded
  • fund a chamber recital series
  • create filmed video content to be used to generate further touring opportunities
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Grant requests could be for up to a maximum of 90% of the Project Cost. Applicants were asked to provide a credible plan for the balance of the funding required for the project.
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Continuo Foundation expects to award grants to 20+ ensembles, including at least 4 emerging groups. The final numbers will depend on the quality of the applications received and the amounts requested - we always seek to support as many projects as possible within the £100,000.  

SELECTION CRITERIA

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Eligible ensembles are UK-based professional groups of at least three musicians playing period instruments, or faithful replicas, with a consistent membership of instrumentalists, year-round activity and an identity as a period-instrument ensemble.

Proposed projects may include vocalists, or be collaborations with vocal ensembles, as long as the grant applicant is an instrumental ensemble meeting the description above. Projects may also include new works commissioned for period instruments or combine early and contemporary repertoires in their programmes.

NB Previous Continuo Foundation grantees are eligible to apply provided they complied with the terms of their grant(s), including acknowledging Continuo Foundation's support on all publicity related to the project, helping to spread the word about Continuo Connect to their audiences, and submitting their post-project report(s) on time. 
EVALUATION CRITERIA
The main objective of our grants is to mobilise projects of outstanding artistic merit which create meaningful work for freelance period musicians, and which bring period-instrument music to audiences across the UK, engaging and inspiring people and enriching communities. The key criteria for assessing applications are:
 
  • the artistic quality, creativity and originality of the proposed project; 
  • the number of instrumentalists engaged and the proportion of the grant funds dedicated to artists’ fees;
  • the extent to which new live or virtual audiences will be engaged; and
  • for recently formed ensembles, the extent to which the project proposed is realistic and will contribute to establishing the group's credentials and visibility, and support their future success.  
 
In choosing which projects to support, in addition to the considerations above, the Advisory Panel and Trustees will consider other factors in their decision-making. For the avoidance of doubt, ensembles do not need to meet all of the criteria below, the list is intended to give a sense of areas of interest. These include: 
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  • public performances since 2022
  • critically acclaimed recordings (including CDs, broadcasts, videos, etc.) since 2022
  • support of early-career instrumentalists and vocalists 
  • innovative programming, including works by diverse composers 
  • diversity of performers and administrators 
  • involvement in outreach and education projects 
  • whether the ensemble is a UK registered charity 
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The Trustees also consider the quality of the application itself, as we believe this is a reflection of the ensemble's ability to carry out the project to a high standard.
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RECENTLY FORMED ENSEMBLES - EVALUATION CRITERIA
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For ensembles formed between ca. June 2020 and October 2024, assessors will consider the areas set out below:
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  • evidence of public performances 
  • background information on the musicians comprising the ensemble
  • the rationale for the formation of the group 
  • repertoire being explored, aspirations, etc.
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The applicants in this category were asked to submit a 10-minute, unedited video of the ensemble performing together. This could be an extract from a live-streamed concert, or part of a performance filmed on a smart phone. If there is no film footage from performances, we would consider a video from a rehearsal. The video does not need to be professionally filmed - we look for the quality of the playing, not the video. 
 
NB - In order to be eligible, an ensemble must have had at least one public performance before 30 November 2024. The ensemble should demonstrate the intention to have a lasting presence, rather than gathering for a one-off project. 
CRITERIA
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