At London Contemporary Dance School
LCDS encourages applications from talented students regardless of their background or financial circumstances. For this reason we created the Fund for Excellence, which distributes grants to students in need of additional financial support. These awards make a real difference to those who might otherwise not have the resources necessary to take up a place or complete their training.
The need for the Fund is greater than ever. Applications have almost doubled this year. We have no endowed student support funds to draw upon and rely solely upon generous contributions from trusts and individuals to help our students through their training. While the high physical and academic demands of our programmes, alongside the hours of training required, make it very difficult for students to hold part-time jobs that fully cover their study costs.
“The Fund for Excellence has really helped me to concentrate on my studies. Without it I would have had to work on top of the incredibly demanding hours of the degree. Because of the Fund I am able to focus on making the most of my time here without having to worry so much about the pennies” - Vicki, BA (Hons), First Class, Graduate 2010
We are grateful to our current supporters: Michael Pender-Cudlip, The Craignish Trust, The Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation, Fenton Arts Trust, The Leverhulme Trust, The Lunn Prothero Fun, The South Square Trust, Eranda Foundation, The Thistle Trust and the RM Burton Charitable Trust.
At the Centre for Advanced Training
The Place's Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) is part of a national intensive dance programme for 10-18 year olds who display exceptional potential and passion for dance. CATs are a government initiative funded by the Department for Education and managed by the Music and Dance Scheme (MDS). The scheme was initially set up in 2004.
"The aim of the scheme is to help identify, and assist, children with exceptional potential, regardless of their personal circumstances, to benefit from world-class specialist training as part of a broad and balanced education, which will enable them, if they choose, to proceed towards self-sustaining careers in music and dance." MDS Advisory Group
Since the launch of CAT at The Place we have found that many talented children are withdrawing from their training due to financial pressures felt by their parents in the uncertain economic climate. As a result, we have rolled out London Contemporary Dance School’s student fund, the Fund for Excellence, to include CAT students. The Fund gives financial assistance to those students in need of additional financial support and we made our first awards in 2009, thanks to the generous support of many individuals and trusts. However, as the need increases we are finding that we are unable to support all of the many worthy applications we receive.
We are grateful to the John Lyon’s Charity for its contribution to the Fund for Excellence for CAT students.
You can support the Fund by giving online or by downloading and returning a Fund for Excellence donation form.
If you would like to discuss supporting the Fund for Excellence please contact Stephen Clarke in the Development Department on 0207 121 1051 or email
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