The Clore Duffield Foundation has launched a scheme running until the end of 2009, which will award a total of £1 million to arts projects aimed at children and young people aged up to 18. Schools and arts organisations are invited to make project submissions covering, for example, opera, dance, music, theatre and the spoken word. Applications will be considered twice a year with closing dates in early April and mid September.

The funded projects benefit young people with special needs, talented young performers, young carers and school students and span music, opera, dance, playwriting, drama and circus skills.

Recent awards have included:
Sampad South Asian Arts’ Bollywood-inspired music, dance and music technology project
The Place’s contemporary dance commission for ages 13-18
Live Theatre’s playwriting project in which professional actors will perform in children’s plays
PSS Young Carers’ drama workshops in St Helen’s, Merseyside
Taigh Chearsabhagh’s arts summer school for young people living in the Outer Hebrides
Theatre script factory for Sheffield schools, theatre work with young Asian students in Bradford and astronomy-inspired music workshops for special needs students

Guidance notes and application forms: www.cloreduffield.org.uk