The Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund and the Dance Teachers' Benevolent Fund recently merged as two organisations, overseen by the now Executive Director Clemmie Cowl. The resulting organisation is the Dance Professionals Fund, operating in much the same way as before but having married the organisations to provide support for all dance professionals rather than separate these into two processes.
The Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund was founded almost 80 years ago, in 1936, to provide grants, bursaries, advice and support to current and former members of the UK dance profession. More recently, the Dance Teachers' Benevolent Fund was founded in 1979, providing financial and practical assistance to qualified dance teachers. The aim and result of the merger is for the new organisation to serve the needs of arts professionals better, with more support for a wider range of professionals.
In the joining of the organisations, the Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund will continue as a registered charity, remaining as an important dance welfare organisation for dancers under the working name of the Dance Professionals Fund. The merger saw extensive liaison between the charities. As a result of its work, the Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund was the largest UK welfare charity offering support for professional dancers, during their careers and also once they retired. The fund now aims to support professionals despite any problem, be it injury or illness, even the effects of financial hardship or loneliness.
In 1936, the Vic Wells Ballet Fund was established to help the struggling company at Sadler's Wells, with the focus on funding ballets which were being created. In 1943 the first welfare grant was given to an injured Sadler's Wells dancer while they were unable to work. The fund changed its name when Sadler's Wells Ballet became the Royal Ballet in 1956, and since then the fund has reached out to more dancers, beyond the original grants made only to members of the Royal Ballet.
Dance Professionals Fund
The Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund and the Dance Teachers' Benevolent Fund recently merged as two organisations, overseen by the now Executive Director Clemmie Cowl. The resulting organisation is the Dance Professionals Fund, operating in much the same way as before but having married the organisations to provide support for all dance professionals rather than separate these into two processes.
The Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund was founded almost 80 years ago, in 1936, to provide grants, bursaries, advice and support to current and former members of the UK dance profession. More recently, the Dance Teachers' Benevolent Fund was founded in 1979, providing financial and practical assistance to qualified dance teachers. The aim and result of the merger is for the new organisation to serve the needs of arts professionals better, with more support for a wider range of professionals.
In the joining of the organisations, the Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund will continue as a registered charity, remaining as an important dance welfare organisation for dancers under the working name of the Dance Professionals Fund. The merger saw extensive liaison between the charities. As a result of its work, the Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund was the largest UK welfare charity offering support for professional dancers, during their careers and also once they retired. The fund now aims to support professionals despite any problem, be it injury or illness, even the effects of financial hardship or loneliness.
In 1936, the Vic Wells Ballet Fund was established to help the struggling company at Sadler's Wells, with the focus on funding ballets which were being created. In 1943 the first welfare grant was given to an injured Sadler's Wells dancer while they were unable to work. The fund changed its name when Sadler's Wells Ballet became the Royal Ballet in 1956, and since then the fund has reached out to more dancers, beyond the original grants made only to members of the Royal Ballet.