CLOSURE OF DAISI ARTS

1. What is Daisi Arts, and why does its imminent closure matter to The Helen Foundation?

Daisi Arts is a leading arts education charity working across Devon and Torbay, creating cultural opportunities for children and young people - particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

It is with great sadness that we share the news that Daisi Arts will be closing its operations at the end of March. This represents a significant loss to the arts in our region and has serious implications for The Helen Foundation (THF).

For over 20 years, THF has enjoyed a close and highly productive partnership with Daisi. That relationship has made possible our core mission. More than 90% of THF’s work and annual expenditure has been channelled through Daisi to fund professional artists across a wide range of art-forms, to work with young people in Teignbridge state schools. Following Daisi’s closure, THF’s school-based arts workshop programme will, very regrettably, need to come to an end with immediate effect. Existing contracts will be honoured.

For three decades, Daisi built and maintained a carefully curated database of highly skilled Southwest-based artists experienced in working in schools. This included recruitment, qualification checks, enhanced DBS clearance, references, and ongoing quality assurance through school visits and structured feedback. Under its annual funding agreement with THF, Daisi also managed the formal contracting and administration of the programme on THF’s behalf. This encompassed features such as: 

• risk assessments

• safeguarding compliance

• insurance and health & safety

• cancellation terms

• intellectual property

• marketing and image permissions

• financial transactions including paying artists

• communication with schools and distribution of THF offers

• collection of feedback and documentation arising from funded workshops

  
  

 These essential functions are unfortunately not ones that a small local charity such as THF can replicate, nor does any other arts organisation in the Southwest offer these comprehensive services. We wish to thank wholeheartedly all those professional and dedicated staff at Daisi who have worked with THF over the years to benefit young people’s arts experiences. We shall miss working with you so much!

2. What next for The Helen Foundation?

i)       Immediate Plans

As 2026 marks THF’s 20th Anniversary, we are pleased to have already announced a special funding initiative for schools through THF’s Ella Philp Fund, supporting school performances through to the end of 2026. As the THF funded schools’ workshop programme concludes, the funds previously allocated to it will now be redirected into this existing special fund. This will enable funding of a wide range of performance projects devised by individual Teignbridge state schools including concerts, musical theatre, dance, drama productions, and other forms of creative performance.

ii)      Looking Ahead

THF trustees are actively reviewing the charity’s future direction. All options remain under consideration. Further updates will, of course, be shared during 2026 via THF’s newsletter, social media channels and website.

In the meantime, we wish to take this opportunity to thank wholeheartedly all the artists who have led THF-funded workshops over the past 20 years, sharing their skills, enthusiasms and creativity with young people across the district. You brought so much inspiration and joy to your workshops, and many young people will recall their time working with you as among their best experiences at school.

Roger Kirk  (Chairman)

CLICK HERE FOR DAISI'S OFFICIAL CLOSURE STATEMENT