Continuo Foundation is offering grants of between £2,000 and £6,000 for professional ensembles playing period music and instruments to mobilise projects of outstanding artistic merit and create meaningful work for freelance period musicians, whilst engaging a wide range of audiences with historically informed live performances, particularly in areas lacking access to high-quality live classical music.
Grants can be used by a period-instrument ensemble to:
- Enable a concert with a larger number of musicians at risk of being downsized.
- Fund an ambitious new project where there is uncertainty about audience take-up.
- Support a tour of a new or existing programme to new UK locations.
- Fund the recording of repertoire that has not previously been recorded.
- Create filmed video content to generate further touring opportunities.
For recently formed ensembles (June 2021 to June 2026), the Foundation prefers to support concerts rather than recording projects; however, it will consider a recording if this would significantly enhance the ensemble’s career prospects.
In Round 12, funding is for projects taking place between 1 December 2026 and 31 May 2027.
The deadline for applications is 5 August 2026 (23:00).