apply

We are providing The Helen Foundation Award for “Best Endeavour in the Arts” to every school in Teignbridge that would like one, for Year 5 or 6 in primary schools and Year 9 or 11 in secondary schools. By December 2007, over half of all Devon County schools in Teignbridge had accepted the Award for their children. The prizes are awarded annually by each school following its own judgments as to which child has consistently tried hardest to achieve their aims in a field of the arts to include performing and visual arts, media arts, design arts or any combination of these. The prize is a glass plaque mounted on a specially made hardwood base designed for the young person’s name to be engraved upon. This perpetual Award stays in the school and the young person keeps a small replica and also receives a certificate. Certificates are also awarded to the two best Highly Commended young people. See picture of Awards below. In addition, and if the school wishes, there is a modest cash bursary available to be spent on an item related to the winner’s chosen art.

We provide a range of individual bursaries up to a current maximum of £500, to support young people with aspirations in the arts. For example: to buy time in a recording studio; to take singing lessons; to hire an instrument for a term's music lessons; to buy new artistic equipment; or to have voice training. Young people applying should have the backing of a recent teacher or tutor or youth leader who knows them well and is willing to support their application.

To qualify, the young person must be aged at least 7 years and no older than 19 years at the time of application, be currently resident in Teignbridge and have lived in the District more or less continuously for the past five years.

Particular encouragement is given to young people from low-income families. If agreed, payments will be made directly to the organization e.g. recording studio; or supplier e.g. music shop and not to the individual applying.

While the trustees will consider all applications received on a case-by-case basis, we would ask all applicants or potential applicants to note that, in light of the high number and quality of applications that the Foundation receives, the trustees will generally give priority to those who have not previously benefited from the award of an individual bursary.

Unless there is a compelling reason - e. g. disability - young people aged 13 and above who wish to apply should do so themselves, sending in a hand-written application to us by post (or which can alternatively be scanned in and sent to us by email if you have access to the right technology to do so!). Parents/carers may wish to submit additional detail but should not be the primary source of the application.

Download the grant application form in Word format by clicking on the link below:

Please then complete the form and send it to: The Grants Administrator, The Helen Foundation, Broadlands Shaldon, Devon TQ14 0EH.

In the meantime, if you have any difficulty downloading the forms or any questions please contact us by email or write to us at The Helen Foundation, Broadlands, Shaldon, Devon TQ14 0EH.

Following the successes of the initial Arts workshops run by the Foundation in 2006 and 2007, the Trustees are planning to help schools in Teignbridge run their own Arts workshops from 2009 onwards.

Further details will be posted up on this website as soon as plans for the next workshops start taking shape - so watch this space.

Past examples of hugely enjoyable and successful workshops provided by the Foundation include: drama; dance; DJ-ing; grafiti art; drumming; electric guitar; sculpture; costume; photography; art; music making; and puppeteering.