Westmorland Arts Trust
North Westmorland Arts are very grateful for the regular support that W.A.T have given us over the years and who play an important part in allowing us to bring performers of such renown to Appleby.
The Westmorland Arts Trust was founded in 1996 under terms in the
will of Dr Elizabeth Kemp, a Kendal GP and Councillor. The Aim of
the Trust is to enable residents of all ages within the old county
boundaries of Westmorland, especially those living in remoter areas,
to have direct experience of presentations of the highest quality in
the spheres of music, drama and the visual arts.
The Trust has a varying annual income from its carefully monitored investments. Since its inception grants of over £160,000 have been given to local organisations, including Abbot Hall, Brewery Arts, Heron Theatre, Armitt Museum, Lakeland Opera, North Westmorland Arts, Flutes & Co. Pro Nobis Singers, Mary Wakefield Festival, Lonsdale Music and The Wordsworth Trust. Grants are most often in the £500—£1,500 range. The Trust has helped to fund many varied productions all over the former county of Westmorland. The Trust has funded concerts and workshops run by bodies such as the Northern Sinfonia and Cumbria Choral Initiative. Art. Music and Drama residencies in schools have received funding. An initiative providing transport-enabling schools to visit Abbot Hall Gallery and more recently Blackwell has received funding from the Trust for several years.
Over the past year, the Trustees have been giving considerable
thought to the long-term future of the Trust. A series of
meetings with Cumbria Community Foundation (CCF) have been held,
following which the Trustees resolved unanimously to put the
management of the Westmorland Arts Trust into the care of CCF.
They will provide the necessary administrative services,
which are currently provided by Janet Thompson, as Administrator and
John Peat, Hon. Treasurer and also publicise the Trust in ways that
they have not been able to do. In this process, the present Trustees
have now resigned and CCF is now the sole corporate Trustee.
As a result of this change, starting from July 2012, the application process will be rather different. W.A.T. will no longer be directly involved as your point of contact. CCF will manage all the administration; both applications and sending out future grant cheques etc. Applications for future grants will be via their website, where you will be able to access the (new) on- line application form. Website: www.cumbriafoundation.org. (Contact for Westmorland Arts Trust Grants will be Jane Allen- Tel. 01900 825760)
If you have a project, which might benefit from funding please contact Cumbria Community Foundation, well in advance of the proposed event, to discuss a possible application and for further details and application forms.
