Sky Foundation Launches Julia Rausing Sky Arts Bursaries

The Sky Foundation has unveiled The Julia Rausing Sky Arts Bursaries, a nationwide programme created with The Julia Rausing Trust to back 20 professional dance-makers across the UK with funding, mentoring, professional development and industry visibility.

Backed by dancer and choreographer Ashley Banjo MBE and delivered in partnership with Sky Arts, the initiative aims to nurture original work and widen access to opportunities across the dance sector.

The launch coincides with new research commissioned by the independent charity highlighting public concern about access to dance careers. While over two thirds (68%) of respondents consider dance an important part of British culture, six in ten believe the next generation will find the industry prohibitively expensive. More than half (55%) think only those from wealthier backgrounds can realistically pursue dance, and nearly half (45%) fear the UK is missing out on talent that could enhance culture and the creative economy.

These worries sit alongside industry figures¹ indicating the number of people working as dancers and choreographers has dropped by almost a third (32%) since 2019, underscoring mounting pressures across the field.

The bursaries are the first programme from the newly established Sky Foundation, an independent charity set up to support organisations and initiatives delivering lasting impact for people, places and the planet. Funded by The Julia Rausing Trust, one of the UK's largest philanthropic foundations, the awards will support choreographers and dancers who create their own original work, regardless of style or region. The programme is designed to benefit the wider dance community by generating new opportunities for dancers and creative collaborators nationwide.

Ashley Banjo MBE, dancer, choreographer and Diversity frontman, said: "Dance opened so many doors for me growing up. I was lucky that my mum ran a dance school, so I was surrounded by dance from an early age and had access to opportunities that helped shape my future.

"But opportunities are becoming harder to access today, particularly for people who don't come from an affluent background. Creative potential should never be determined by a family's finances, yet these findings suggest cost is becoming an increasingly significant barrier to pursuing a career in dance."

The research further points to unequal access across the country. Eight in ten (80%) believe people from less affluent backgrounds face greater barriers to careers in dance, and just 6% think everyone has an equal chance to succeed. Two thirds (67%) say talented people are being overlooked because they live in areas with fewer opportunities, with 38% in the North East, Northern Ireland and Wales citing a shortage versus 26% in the South East.

Respondents also indicate that obstacles often begin long before artists reach a professional stage, with 63% highlighting the cost of travel, equipment and competitions, and 57% saying many cannot afford to pursue creative careers at all.

Ashley added: "No one should feel that a career in dance is out of reach because they can't afford lessons, travel or competitions, or because there aren't enough opportunities close to home. Talent can come from anywhere, and your background shouldn't determine your future."