Scops Arts Trust grants
Scops Arts Trust funds performing arts work across the UK, prioritising small and medium-sized organisations, with grants typically starting from a few hundred pounds.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Scops Arts Trust funds the performing arts. Its overarching aim is to give people of all ages opportunities to understand, participate in and enjoy the performing arts. It supports organisations located in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Applicants are generally registered charities, but it will consider applications from social enterprises and community groups where they are formally constituted and have clear charitable purposes. While it does not exclude large charities, it prioritises applications from small to medium-sized organisations. Grant awards typically start from a few hundred pounds, and in exceptional cases it makes multi-year grants of up to £15,000 per annum. It will not fund activities which have already taken place, applications from individuals, projects with the primary purpose of health, therapy or social welfare, or capital campaigns including the construction or fit-out of buildings.
What they fund
The register records general charitable purposes and arts, culture, heritage and science. Its own guidance focuses on the performing arts.
Who and where
The register records the countries it covers and that it works for the general public. Its guidance names England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Scops Arts Trust says in its own guidance
Quoted directly from the funder’s own website, with a link to the page each quote came from. Always the most current word is theirs — check the source before you apply.
What they say they're looking for
“Our overarching aim is to give people of all ages opportunities to understand, participate in and enjoy the performing arts”
Source: scopsartstrust.org.uk — Grant Guidelines - Scops Arts Trust →
Who they say they'll fund
“We support organisations located in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland”
Source: scopsartstrust.org.uk — Grant Guidelines - Scops Arts Trust →
“generally registered charities, but we will consider applications from social enterprises and community groups where they are formally constituted and have clear charitable purposes. While we do not exclude large charities, we prioritise applications from small to medium-sized organisations”
Source: scopsartstrust.org.uk — Grant Guidelines - Scops Arts Trust →
What they say they won't fund
“Projects with the primary purpose of health, therapy or social welfare”
Source: scopsartstrust.org.uk — Grant Guidelines - Scops Arts Trust →
“Capital campaigns including the construction or fit-out of buildings”
Source: scopsartstrust.org.uk — Grant Guidelines - Scops Arts Trust →
“Activities which have already taken place”
Source: scopsartstrust.org.uk — Grant Guidelines - Scops Arts Trust →
“Applications from Individuals”
Source: scopsartstrust.org.uk — Grant Guidelines - Scops Arts Trust →
Grant sizes they mention
“Grant awards typically start from a few hundred pounds, and in exceptional cases we make multi-year grants of up to £15,000 per annum”
Source: scopsartstrust.org.uk — Grant Guidelines - Scops Arts Trust →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
To enhance public access to, education about, and appreciation of the arts, in particular the performing arts and such other charitable purposes as the trustees in their absolute discretion from time to time think fit.
How to approach them
Start with the official sources — they’re always more current than any directory, including this one.
Common questions
How much does Scops Arts Trust typically give?
Grant awards typically start from a few hundred pounds, and in exceptional cases it makes multi-year grants of up to £15,000 per annum. It does not publish a median grant size that we have been able to source. In its latest published financial year it gave £223,006 in grants to organisations.
What does Scops Arts Trust fund?
The performing arts. Its overarching aim is to give people of all ages opportunities to understand, participate in and enjoy the performing arts.
Who can apply?
It supports organisations located in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Applicants are generally registered charities, but it will consider applications from social enterprises and community groups where they are formally constituted and have clear charitable purposes. It prioritises applications from small to medium-sized organisations.
What won't Scops Arts Trust fund?
Its published exclusions include activities which have already taken place, applications from individuals, projects with the primary purpose of health, therapy or social welfare, and capital campaigns including the construction or fit-out of buildings.
How do I apply to Scops Arts Trust?
Read its grant guidelines first, particularly the exclusions, as several common types of request are ruled out. Check the funder's own website (www.scopsartstrust.org.uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1186893) for current guidance, as processes can change.
Is your charity a fit for Scops Arts Trust?
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Contains public sector information from the Charity Commission for England and Wales licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, and grants data from 360Giving used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Figures are derived (filtered and summarised by TrusteeMeetings), not republished unchanged. About the data · Terms of use. This page is a starting point for your own research, not a promise of funding, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with Scops Arts Trust.