Anyone got experience/tips on getting funding for performing arts?

[bsmirched]

My niece has an unconditional offer at LTS. Student loans are not available but I know that a Dance and Drama award is a possibility.
The thing is, my sister is terminally ill, she is obviously anxious to get as much stuff sorted, or at least in the pipeline, as soon as possible. I want to help in any way I can and I'm also aware that it may well be me who is sorting funding for subsequent years.
Does anyone have any experience or tips on how to get grants or scholarships? Any help greatly appreciated!

[FoggyBottom]

What's the LTS? There is funding for accredited conservatoires but not private institutions.

[bsmirched]

Liverpool Theatre School.

[Katymac]

Would she be eligible for a DaDA (on family finances), if not it is fantastically difficult

Are her family connected to any big unions or the Masons? They are possibilities

A Career development loan might be a possibility but realistically it's only about £10K & needs to be paid off as soon as the course is finished (it's traditionally over 2 yrs but can be extended to 3)

Assuming it's a Trinity Level 6 diploma she is unlikely to have the energy to work along side it (possibly on Sundays but Sats are often rehearsals etc)

Good luck but without a DaDA the chances are a bit remote

[LIZS]

Do they offer anything internally or could advise? I believe a lot of the funding is available only to students at certain institutions.

[Katymac]

Look on NotaPushyMum at the training section - but finance stops more kids than talent

[LineyReborn]

www.liverpooltheatreschool.co.uk/how-to-apply/funding

This suggests that there is some internal funding available. But it'll be very competitive.

It also suggests looking at the directory of grant-awarding trusts. There's a lot online these days

Very sorry to hear about your family circumstances.

[bsmirched]

Thanks all. Yes from what I can see she should get a DaDA. Blimey, I had no idea it was so hard!

[Katymac]

Realistically she should also consider a level 3 BTEC & A levels and applying at 18 through the degree route where there is more funding (although student grants don't fund the entire tuition fees often there is a 3-6K shortfall as they are private colleges)

This wasn't an option for DD

Also the stresses involved in training like this may be incompatible with a teen who has recently lost a parent

Once yr 1 is sorted in most cases 2 & 3 are sorted too (unless you are funding your self) generally about 15-20% of all children studying at that level get a DaDA & it is totally on talent - the family circumstances won't be taken into consideration, sadly

[Katymac]

Remember to add on £3-500 a year for uniform & shoes

Plus potentially up to £2500 for exam fees over the 3 years

& about another £3-500 for physio fees, theatre trips and sundries

(depending on the college)

[Balletgirlmum]

Congrats to her on the offer, this will be us in two years time (dd is currently at a lower school)

Liverpool do have dadas but unfortunately there is not enough money to go around.

Most students audition for several places. Is Liverpool local & sh wants to stay near to home? Did she try for LIPA?

Also bear in mind that many who don't get funding first time round try again the following year.

How old is she & which course is she going for?

[FoggyBottom]

But how is this any different to funding a pupil at an independent fee-paying school? Why should there be public funding for anyoneto go to a fee-paying school?

If she's good enough, she'll get into a conservatoire at 18 (LIPA, RADA, Rose Bruford etc etc etc).

[Balletgirlmum]

It's very different foggy.

Dadas fund a very specific diploma course) that the government recognises.

Many of the degree courses you mention would not be suitable for someone Hong the dance/MT route as they are acting based.

For anyone going the dance route at 18 there is a distinct lack of local training at age 16 to enable them to reach/keep at the required standard.

[bsmirched]

She's 18 and doing A levels. She's going to be doing the 3 year musical theatre diploma.
She is supremely talented - and that's not just proud Auntie talk!

[Balletgirlmum]

Did she audition elsewhere. Hammond isn't too far away for example. They do the same 3 year MT diploma or a BA hons degree in Musical Theatre. Dada funding has been allocated for next year there though.

[Katymac]

Yes - tbh a degree may be the way to go

[SpaceDinosaur]

It's bold but get her to write to producers and theatre charities outlining her situation and asking for support. You may send off 50 letters and get one reply but it's how this works. If she has a showreel, even if it's just on YouTube then even better. Let people see how talented she is

ALW FOUNDATION

MT is fabby look at all the biggies such as Webber, Sondheim, Macintosh, and then start looking to "Angels" people who are absolutely obtusely wealthy and front money for west end/ Broadway productions.

If she's brave, send fan mail to some of her fave MT performers and ask their advice. They may put something her way.

Every personal letter should be handwritten if at all possible. It makes a difference.

Very best of luck xxx

[bsmirched]

She did audition elsewhere and received offers but she very much preferred LTS. Thank you for all the ideas!

[Balletgirlmum]

When do you find out if she's been allocated a Dada? There is still a lot of movement on waiting lists.

[bsmirched]

I really don't know!

[Balletgirlmum]

Ok - ftom looking at their website it appears they havnt finished auditioning yet.
The last audition is 12th June. After this date the staff will be ranking all the students they have offered places to this academic year & allocating dadas from that. Your sister should be getting preliminary declaration of income forms soon if she hasn't already.

Unlike MDS awards which are a set number of places regardless of monetary value Dada schools are given a pot of money.

So if the first 10 people on the list have high incomes & so arn't eligible for much money then they can allocate more awards.

If the first 10 are all low income then they will be entitled to more funding so the pot will may run out before thec11th person for example.

(I don't actuslly know the amount of money each school has in the pot it's just an example)

[LineyReborn]

Did she receive an offer from an institution offering an accredited degree and access to Student Finance? You really might need to rethink this if she definitely will need financial assistance for a September start.

[bsmirched]

She's not doing a degree she's doing a diploma.
Balletgirlmum. I didn't realise that. The info on the .gov site makes it look like,if awarded, it's set amounts depending on income band.

[Katymac]

These figures are imaginary

The college has £100k - the fees are 10k
(Students ranked in order of talent)
Student 1 rich no award balance£100
Student 2 poor 100% award balance £90
Student 3 gets 2500 balance £87.5
Student 4 £10 balance £77.5

& so on it's not necessarily about how good you are but about how rich the students (parents) in the queue in front of you are


Currently if her choices are get DaDA go to college don't get DaDA stay at home then she has been very badly advised - she needed at least a plan B and ideally a plan C

At 18 with A levels I would at least be incontact with the degree offering colleges (the proper MT ones not unis) to see if she is too late to be considered for this year. Otherwise she needs to think about what she can do for a year while reauditioning

[FANTINE1]

Does she have her heart set on going? Katymac is right. She really needs to be looking at the schools that offer degrees, Laine, Arts ed etc. I think I'm correct in saying there is more chance of a DADA at these places.
I know of someone whose daughter has been accepted on the Foundation Course at one of the leading MT schools. Unfortunately, there is no funding, so having paid the non refundable fee of £1,000+ to secure the place., the family are now appealing people via Facebook for contributions to help pay the fees etc.
Must admit I find this situation mind boggling.Whatever your thoughts are on asking others for money, to potentially put yourself in such a precarious financial position would really worry me.

[Balletgirlmum]

Not quite correct Fantine

Dada funding & Student Finance funding are different & fund different types of course. Schools that offer degrees are funded by student finance, you can't get a Dada as this funding is purely for Trinity Diploma courses (which can be topped up to a degree afterwards.

Some institutions offer both. (The degree usually has more academic content).