John Ellerman Foundation
John Ellerman Foundation is an independent, endowed grantmaker. Our aim is to advance the wellbeing of people, society and the natural world by making grants of around £5m a year in three categories – Arts, Environment and Welfare. We are looking for work with a national footprint, and core funding is our signature.
We believe that art has the potential to enrich and transform lives. This is why we help make the highest quality art available to all by supporting those organisations that represent excellence in this field at a national level.
We felt the initiative captured the spirit and enthusiasm of Hull, and gave a good sense of the difference such a cultural project could make to the city.
The Year of Theatre came through as an important strand of the whole; our three year grant enables us to contribute to a substantial programme while supporting a regional theatre company, thereby rebalancing some funding beyond London.
As the birthplace of the first John Ellerman, Trustees were also happy to be able to support something which marks this connection, while meeting the quality standards expected from all our grants.
The commitment of so many different partners, from the private, public, education and voluntary sectors, was also thought to be very positive.
