The Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust is currently focused on the Arts: Improving Attendance and Refugees and Asylum Seekers.

In 2025, grant Round 1 and Grant Round 2 will focus on projects that improve audience engagement with and attendance of live performing arts projects – theatre, dance or music – particularly audiences who do not usually have the opportunity to attend performances.  Non-performing arts projects, or projects focussing on performers, will not be considered.

Round 1 is open for applications from 1 February to 28 February 2025 and offers grants of £1,000 to organisations with a minimum operating income of £100,000 and minimum operating expenditure of £100,000, or a minimum operating income of £1 million and minimum operating expenditure of £1 million.

Round 2 is open from 1 April to 3 April 2025 and offers grants of up to £5,000 to organisations with a minimum operating income of £1 million. There is no minimum operating expenditure criteria.

Rounds 3 and 4 will focus exclusively on projects for refugees and/or asylum seekers as beneficiaries. Salaries for charity staff are not funded, unless specifically employed for the project concerned.

Round 3 is open from 1 July to 31 July 2025 and offers grants of £1,000 to organisations with a minimum operating income of £100,000 and minimum operating expenditure of £100,000, or a minimum operating income of £1 million and minimum operating expenditure of £1 million.

Round 4 is open from 1 September to 30 September 2025 and offers grants of up to £5,000 to organisations with a minimum operating income of £1 million. There is no minimum operating expenditure criteria.

The priorities for the Trust in 2026 will be Homelessness and Unpaid Carers.

The Trust endeavours to support a diverse range of charities and will consider the diversity of the charities they support.

For more information, including FAQ and eligibility details, visit the Austin and Hope Pilkington website.