In 2007, we established the RPS Drummond Fund to help composers and choreographers bring exciting new works to life. It is presented in memory of the writer, broadcaster and lifelong dance aficionado Sir John Drummond CBE and his friend, the English born Diaghilev dancer, Lydia Sokolova.

Till now, the Fund has given a series of grants ranging from £8,000 to £17,000, each in the form of a commission fee enabling a composer to write a piece for which several performances are planned with dancers and live musicians. The latest beneficiary is David Sawer’s April\March choreographed by Aletta Collins as the centrepiece of the Royal Ballet’s return to the renovated Linbury Theatre in February 2019.

This year, we are pleased to set out new terms for the Fund which will result in a grant of up to £25,000. Recognising the increasing challenge and expense of staging dance with live music, we hope this enlarged grant will enable practitioners to activate plans that may not otherwise have been possible, making a difference to their progress and profile.

Applications are warmly welcome from UK-based professional dance artists, choreographers, companies large and small, festivals and venues – and from composers themselves eager to work with dance practitioners.

Click here to visit the dedicated page for the RPS Drummond Fund which details everything you need to know and how to apply.

The closing date for entries is midday on Friday 31 May. If you would like any guidance in making an application, or to establish if your plans are eligible for consideration, please do not hesitate to contact the RPS on 020 7287 0019.