London Sinfonietta receives £100,000 grant

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Now in its tenth year of grant giving, the Cockayne Grants for the Arts Programme has awarded £100,000 to the London Sinfonietta in support of the creation of new works in upcoming seasons.

The award is a welcome support to the London Sinfonietta, following its decrease in funding from the Arts Council in November 2022, and will be used to further its tradition of commissioning impactful and inspiring works by pioneering artists. The grant reflects a wave of support from individuals and trusts who are responding to the organisation’s projects and vision at a time of reducing public subsidy, with the London Sinfonietta having also received generous financial input from Jerwood Arts for its Writing the Future programme, and the Foyle Foundation for its Composition Challenges programme and staffing.

The grant will fund a series of eight significant commissions for the London Sinfonietta, which will be built into its future programmes, and enter the repertoire of other ensembles around the world too. The choice of composers aims to be representative and inclusive, celebrating the diversity of London, where the ensemble is based.

Over its 56-year history, the ensemble has commissioned over 470 new works, many of which are regarded as central to the new music scene in the UK and abroad.

’This award confirms the faith that other funders, and audiences, have in us – and particularly in contemporary classical music - which, by exploring contemporary sound worlds and amplifying themes in society, can be as relevant to schools, young people and communities as any other art form,’ said Andrew Burke, London Sinfonietta’s CEO and artistic director.

Further commenting on the changing arts landscape of the UK, Jo Hedley, executive director of Cockayne said: ’At a moment when art is needed all the more to comment on and make sense of the rapidly changing world around us, Cockayne is delighted in this, its tenth anniversary year, to support London Sinfonietta forge into the future with a special £100,000 Anniversary Commissioning Grant aimed at providing opportunities for a new generation of composers, performers and audiences.’

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