The Huo Family Foundation awards six new grants to support the Arts

The Huo Family Foundation has given six new grants to support performing arts organisations in London, totalling £1 million. The pandemic has heavily impacted the performing arts sector and the funding will support both the artists and the institutions in which they work.

The Theatre Artists Fund and Help Musicians have each received £100,000. The donations will support artists, performers, and backstage staff who have not received government support whilst theatres and other arts venues have been forced to close.

Awards for £200,000 have been given to both The Royal Opera House and The National Theatre to support their recovery campaigns. At The Royal Opera House, it will enable the continued creation of ballet and opera for a variety of audiences and at The National Theatre it will help to deliver a pipeline of activity.

Another £200,000 has been given to The London Symphony Orchestra to aid the Always Playing Appeal, which supports its fellows and provides the opportunity to plan for a foreseeable future with no international touring. A further £200,000 grant will boost The Old Vic Reopening Fund which will see the rehiring of all freelance workers and the rebuilding of their work.

These grants will support the creative work at each of these institutions and provide funding to enable them to continue to run their outreach programmes, ensuring that as we come out of the pandemic art is accessible to all.

Yan Huo, founder of The Huo Family Foundation, said: “The performing arts enrich our lives, so it is sad to see how severely the pandemic has affected the sector. The Foundation is honoured to award these new grants and play a role in supporting education, communities, and the pursuit of knowledge.”

Further information

The Royal Opera House

The Royal Opera House is the one of the world’s most celebrated theatres and the home of The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera and The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Over one million people come through our doors each year and many more around the UK and globally experience us through touring partnerships, cinema relays, free outdoor screenings, radio, TV and live-streaming. For more information: https://www.roh.org.uk/

The National Theatre

The National Theatre makes world-class theatre that is entertaining, challenging and inspiring. It aims to reach the widest possible audience, to be open, inclusive and diverse, and as national as possible. The Theatre stages a broad range of productions in London and tours extensively across the UK. Its international activity puts some of the nation’s leading artists on the world stage. The National Theatre invests in the future of theatre by developing talent, creating bold new work and building audiences, partnering with a range of theatres and theatre companies. For more information: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/

The London Symphony Orchestra

The London Symphony Orchestra is widely regarded as one of the very best orchestras in the world, and prior to COVID-19 was facing unprecedented global demand, giving around 70 concerts each year. For more information: https://lso.co.uk/

The Old Vic

The Old Vic is London’s independent not-for-profit theatre, a world leader in creativity and entertainment. It is mercurial: it can transform into a theatre in the round, a space for live music and comedy, has played host to opera, dance, cinema, music hall, classical dramas, variety, big spectacles and novelty acts. For more information: https://www.oldvictheatre.com/

The Theatre Artists Fund

Led by Sir Sam Mendes, Theatre Artists Fund was established in July 2020 to provide emergency support for theatre artists across the UK, in need of urgent and critical financial support due to the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the theatre sector. Thousands of theatre freelance professionals across the UK have benefitted, particularly those from under-represented groups disproportionately affected by the crisis. For more information:  https://theatreartists.fund/

Help Musicians

Help Musicians is an independent UK charity for professional musicians of all genres, from starting out through to retirement. We help at times of crisis, but also at times of opportunity, giving people the extra support they need at a crucial stage that could make or break their career. For more information: https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/