Cockaigne Fund

About this fund

The Land of Cockaigne is a paradise of cakes and ale and splendid entertainments. Although we can’t fund the cakes and ale, musical entertainments are on our menu – whether solemn or fun, we want to support musicians engaged in creative, challenging and original projects, finding connections between cultures and traditions past and present; supporting research, development and performances to delight, inform, and move participants and audience alike. 

Purpose of this fund

The Cockaigne Fund welcomes proposals from people engaged in classical and traditional music, including musicians needing support and music groups who are looking to put on performances. We are particularly interested in those pursuing historically informed performance practices from the 9th to the 19th century, as well as community initiatives. For example, we can consider individuals who need help to attend a specialist course or complete funding for an instrument, or groups wishing to invite a specialist to hold master-classes or planning productions of forgotten works. We can also consider supporting small-scale touring proposals if other funding is already in place. 

Additional criteria

Please note we would also like to hear from organisations working elsewhere in the UK.

If you are able to send us a link so we can hear your music, please do.  If not, we may ask you to provide details for a referee who knows your music.  

If you are applying for a grant to help you purchase a musical instrument, please provide a quote.  

Who can apply?

This fund will support charities and unincorporated organisations and not for profit companies, as well as individuals.  However, all applicants will need to provide a bank statement in their own name, or in the name of the applicant organisation.  

All organisations will be asked to provide their governing documents, most recent accounts, and a Safeguarding Policy (if applicable) and a recent bank statement.   Foundation Scotland will check Companies House and OSCR to check whether returns are up to date.  

Individuals should confirm they are self employed, and registered with HMRC.  You will need to agree the Foundation Scotland can record your name, address, email address and phone number on our grants database. 

All applicants should read our eligibility requirements here and confirm they can meet these when making an enquiry: Funding eligibility | Foundation Scotland

What can’t be funded?

We won’t support general fundraising appeals, trips abroad, retrospective grants for costs which have already been incurred and the advancement of religion or politics.  For full details on activities we can't fund, click here. 

How are decisions made?

Initial enquiries should be emailed to Livi Seligmann below.  When making an enquiry please confirm whether you are applying as an individual or as an organisation.  Livi will undertake some initial eligibility checks before we send any proposals to the Cockaigne Fund for their consideration.  

If you are invited to send a proposal it would be helpful to include a detailed budget and whether you have already applied or are applying to other funds.  If you can be specific about the pieces of music and confirm who the musicians are, that would be helpful.  

We expect to make 4 – 6 awards of up to £5,000 per year.