The Darkley Trust has been established entirely due to the generosity of Robert Maskrey OBE, who sadly died before the trust was enabled.
The Trust will be working principally in the areas of the arts and homeless charities, and predominantly to the benefit of Wales and her Borders. It was Robert’s wish that the Trust would give a helping hand to artists in all artistic fields, including the visual arts, music, literature, theatre and dance; and to smaller charities supporting the homeless.
Applicants may be individuals or registered charities and the amounts to be awarded would vary from between £250 and £5000. However, the upper limit awards would only be considered in exceptional circumstances and the majority of successful applications would be considerably lower. The Trust is unlikely to consider applications from organisations where the annual turnover exceeds £10 million. The Trust wants to support projects or applications where smaller grants may not be available from other sources. Individual applicants should secure funding for tuition fees and living costs before they make an application to the Trust for specific projects or items.
The Darkley Trust is a small charity and as such we cannot support applications for core funding. Please ensure you have read the guidelines and include the relevant information. If these guidelines are not adhered to, applications will not be considered.
The Trust will meet three times a year in February, June and October. Applicants may apply at any time but most applications will only be considered at Trust meetings.
In the case of a registered charity or an arts organisation it will be necessary to show the latest audited accounts. The Trust will not consider any organisation that is not on a firm financial footing. Individual applicants will require verification from a Tutor or Director, and, in certain circumstances may be asked to perform an audition piece, or explain their art form.
Our aim is to open the gate to new talent in the arts and offer a lifeline to the homeless. Robert Maskrey made a difference in his life and we will continue to make that difference.
