The arts

Greenham Common Trust is committed to supporting the Arts in West Berkshire and north Hampshire. As well as proving reactive grant aid to help individual organisations the Trust also opened an arts centre on the business park soon after it opened called New Greenham Arts. The Trust quickly entered into a partnership with the Corn Exchange in Newbury to manage the facility as a visual arts and performing arts venue to compliment the main theatre in the town centre. It has been a great success and to find out more click here.

We also have developed a number of schemes, organised and financed by the Trust, to assist local musicians and bring music more prominently into local life.

Opera for All is the Trust's flagship event – a high quality open air opera for the whole family performed by some of the country’s finest professionals all at affordable prices.

Instrument Loans - set up for local music organisations needing instruments, and through selected local schools for children wishing to learn to play but unable to afford the high prices involved.

School Masterclasses - The Trust has committed £25,000 to enable Southern Sinfonia to hold masterclasses one morning or afternoon a week in 13 local schools.

Newbury Spring Festival – The Trust has given the international Festival £43,000 in 2011 to fund The Main Concert The Philarmonia Orchestra, The Great Big Gilbert & Sullivan Show, Sheepdrove Piano Competition, Education outreach and free ticket.

Newbury Young and Older Muscian of the Year competitions - £8,000 a year will be provided by the Trust to allow Southern Sinfonia to run this prestigious local competition for 15 - 19 year olds and older musicians.

Underwriting the cost of venue hire - local charitable and community organisations that wish to stage a public musical performance can rest easy in the knowledge that any shortfall in ticket sales will be underwritten by the Trust. This applies to venue hire only, and not to production costs. Any organisation wishing to make use of this scheme must be able to show a sensible business plan and cost projections for the project.

Music scores for orchestras and groups - purchased by the Trust, and available for loan through West Berkshire libraries.

A schools' music / dance / drama workshop - £10,000 has been committed to enable a local school to access an Artis workshop for one day a week for three years.

For more information on any of these projects please click on the individual pages or contact Melissa at the Trust on 01635 817445 or email Melissa@greenham-common-trust.co.uk