The Arts Foundation was established as an independent trust in 1990 through an anonymous bequest to the Arts. The initial Trustees included Lord Palumbo, Lord Gowrie, Lord McAlpine and Terence Donovan.

In 1993 the Fellowship programme was initiated which was specifically designed to support individual artists who had shown commitment to, and reached some professional standing in, their art form. At this critical stage in their careers a period of relative security in order to explore new avenues or consolidate existing work was found to be often crucial in order to progress further within their art form.

Since 1993 the Fellowship programme has awarded over £1,200,000 to individual artists from the fields of performing and visual arts, crafts, literature, new media, film and design.

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