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RPS Instrumental Prizes
with funder-aware structure.
Career-development prizes for solo violinists, solo brass players, brass ensembles of up to five, and chamber ensembles of three to ten. Soloists aged 18–30; ensembles need a majority aged 18–30 and two years together. UK base throughout 2026–27 and no RPS funding since 6 October 2023. One application, three answers of at most 150 words, two performance videos and an independently sent professional reference; shortlisted applicants audition in London on 29 November. Applicant-linked 2026 guidance is used; older prize pages retain earlier year references. AI-specific policy unknown: applicant review and honest disclosure required, no funder endorsement.
No card · Rough notes are fine · You review every word £30,000 securedThe Musician Experience, with ArtsFunded support*Sum of listed maximum awards, not a funding pot or an amount one applicant can receive. Includes closed and upcoming rounds; eligibility and deadlines apply.
See how the funding figure is calculated
£2,707,750 across 41 supported programme groups. Each group contributes its highest listed supported limit once: alternative bands and questionnaires are not added together. Uncapped, approximate and historic-only amounts are excluded. Additional access support is not estimated. This measures ArtsFunded’s listed coverage, not money currently available or remaining in funds. Amounts update from the route catalogue when the site is published.
| Route | Amount counted | Basis or exclusion |
|---|---|---|
| The National Archives — Records at Risk Grants | £5,000 | Up to £5,000; cash match optional Official guidance |
| RPS Instrumental Prizes | £5,000 | £1,500 solo; £2,500 brass ensemble; £5,000 chamber ensemble Official guidance |
| Royal Victoria Hall Foundation — Professional Theatre Grants | Not added | No finite published/listed maximum; not assigned an invented amount. Official guidance |
| Museums Galleries Scotland — Small Grants Fund | £15,000 | £300–£15,000; category limits apply Official guidance |
| Hull & East Riding Charitable Trust | Not added | No finite published/listed maximum; not assigned an invented amount. Official guidance |
| Garrick Charitable Trust | Not added | No finite published/listed maximum; not assigned an invented amount. Official guidance |
| Fenton Arts Trust | Not added | No finite published/listed maximum; not assigned an invented amount. Official guidance |
| Film Hub Midlands Pitch Pots | £2,000 | Up to £2,000 Official guidance |
| Beckenham Theatre Trust | £5,000 | Up to £5,000 Official guidance |
| Cockayne Grants for the Arts in London | Not added | No finite published/listed maximum; not assigned an invented amount. Official guidance |
| Merton Culture and Heritage Grants | £10,000 | Highest supported listed grant limit; eligibility and round conditions apply. Official guidance |
| Stroud Culture Grants — Round 3 | £2,500 | Highest supported listed grant limit; eligibility and round conditions apply. Official guidance |
| Film Hub Wales — FEF Pitch Pots | £1,000 | Highest supported listed grant limit; eligibility and round conditions apply. Official guidance |
| Freelands Foundation Learning Through Making | £25,000 | Highest supported listed grant limit; eligibility and round conditions apply. Official guidance |
| Theatres Trust / Wolfson Theatre Improvement Scheme | £20,000 | Highest supported listed grant limit; eligibility and round conditions apply. Official guidance |
| Arts Council England Project Grants, under £30,000 | Not added | Same Project Grants programme as the higher band; counted once at its highest supported band. Official guidance |
| Arts Council England Project Grants, £30,000–£100,000 | £100,000 | Apply for £30,001 – £100,000 · allow at least 14 weeks for a decision · rolling deadline Official guidance |
| Arts Council England, Museum Transformation Programme | £1,000,000 | £50,000-£1,000,000 · no match requirement · one-off 2026 round Official guidance |
| Arts Council of Wales, Create & Engage | £100,000 | £60,001-£100,000 · exceptional organisations only · prior agreement mandatory · maximum 90% of eligible project costs Official guidance |
| National Lottery Awards for All, four UK nation routes | £20,000 | Apply for £300 – £20,000 · decision in ~16 weeks · rolling deadline Official guidance |
| National Lottery Community Fund, Small Eco Awards, three country routes | £20,000 | £300-£20,000 · rolling · decision in around 12 weeks · spend within up to 24 months Official guidance |
| Developing Your Creative Practice | £12,000 | Apply for £2,000 – £12,000 · Round 24 opens 4 Jun 2026 · closes 2 Jul 2026 · decisions by 8 Oct 2026 Official guidance |
| Creative Scotland Open Fund | £100,000 | Apply for £20,001 – £100,000 · decision in ~14 weeks · 75/25 payment split · up to 18‑month projects · rolling deadline Official guidance |
| Postcode Lottery | Not added | Trust-dependent approximate amount, not one reliable programme maximum. Official guidance |
| National Lottery Heritage Fund | £250,000 | Apply for £10,000-£250,000 · rolling deadline · decisions in ~8 weeks once documents are accepted Official guidance |
| PRS Foundation, Open Fund for Music Creators | £5,000 | Up to £5,000 · two annual deadlines · typical decisions in 8-10 weeks Official guidance |
| PRS Foundation, Composers’ Fund | £15,000 | Apply for £8,000-£15,000 · average award below the upper limit · 2 deadlines each year · decisions in ~10 weeks Official guidance |
| Arts Council England, Supporting Grassroots Music | £40,000 | £1,000-£40,000 · projects up to three years Official guidance |
| Arts Council England, Music Growth Fund | £100,000 | £1,000-£40,000 with 25% cash match · £40,001-£100,000 with 50% cash match · up to 3 years Official guidance |
| Youth Music, Trailblazer Fund | £30,000 | £2,000-£30,000 · £15,000 cap for organisations under one year old · 6-24 months Official guidance |
| PPL Momentum Music Fund | £15,000 | £5,000-£15,000 · 4 deadlines per year Official guidance |
| Help Musicians, Next Level (historic preparation only) | Not added | Historic preparation route; excluded from the monetary total. Official guidance |
| Help Musicians, Electronic Music Award | £3,000 | Up to £3,000 plus business, peer and industry support Official guidance |
| Youth Music, NextGen Fund | £3,000 | £1,000-£3,000 plus eligible personal access costs · two rounds each year Official guidance |
| PRS Foundation, International Showcase Fund | £8,250 | Europe £6,000 / rest of world £7,500, plus up to £750 evidenced greener travel; at most 90% of ordinary eligible costs. Additional access support separate. UK/virtual cases require confirmation, not historical subcaps. Official guidance |
| PRS Foundation, Hitmaker Fund | £10,000 | £5,000-£10,000 · two rounds per year · next deadline 28 September 2026 at 6pm Official guidance |
| PRS Foundation, Early Career Promoter Fund | £3,500 | Up to £3,500 · at least 10% other income · published deadlines 3 Sep, 29 Oct and 10 Dec 2026, then 4 Feb 2027, all at 6pm Official guidance |
| Esmée Fairbairn, Community-led Art and Creativity | Not added | No finite published/listed maximum; not assigned an invented amount. Official guidance |
| John Ellerman Foundation, Main Grants | £180,000 | Up to £180,000 total · up to £60,000 per year · up to five years · no published minimum Official guidance |
| Elephant Trust | £5,000 | Usually £2,000-£5,000, up to £5,000. Total project budget must stay at or below £30,000. Official guidance |
| D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust | £8,000 | £500-£8,000. Charities under £250,000 income may request unrestricted funding. Official guidance |
| Fidelio Charitable Trust | £5,000 | Apply for up to £5,000. The ask should feel specific, modest and highly enabling, with detailed budget lines and a clear explanation of what the grant unlocks. Official guidance |
| Theatres Trust Small Grants Programme | £7,500 | Apply for up to £7,500. The project should feel like a discrete, deliverable capital fix or upgrade that can realistically be achieved within that value. Official guidance |
| Idlewild Trust, Arts | £8,000 | Up to £8,000 · no published minimum · two rounds each year Official guidance |
| Leche Trust, Performing Arts Grants | Not added | No finite published/listed maximum; not assigned an invented amount. Official guidance |
| Michael Tippett Musical Foundation, Musical Project Grants | Not added | No finite published/listed maximum; not assigned an invented amount. Official guidance |
| Art Fund / Jerwood Foundation, Jerwood Art Fund Commissions | £100,000 | £70,000-£100,000 · 100% of eligible commission costs · two awards Official guidance |
| British Film Institute, National Lottery Creative Challenge Fund | £450,000 | £12,000-£150,000 per edition · up to three editions · partnership support required Official guidance |
| Film Hub North, Film Exhibition Fund Round 3 (single-year) | £10,000 | Up to £10,000 for single-year support; other cash income required; no fixed match percentage Official guidance |
| Film London / BFI FAN, Film Exhibition Fund | £5,000 | Up to £5,000 · no minimum or fixed match percentage published Official guidance |
| Heritage Crafts, Endangered Crafts Fund | £2,500 | Up to £2,500 · no published minimum · highly competitive Official guidance |
| Wakefield Council, Culture Grants Small | £1,500 | Up to £1,500 · no published minimum · one-stage application Official guidance |
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RPS Instrumental Prizes
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