Arts charities are being urged to apply for a share of £2m in grants that have been announced by a soon to be merged arts funder and charity.

Up to £2m worth of grants are to be awarded by the Jerwood Foundation each year to arts organisations, including charities.

The first round of grants are being awarded in April 2024 and the closing date for applications is 1 March next year.

The move has been announced alongside the Foundation’s merger with its linked charity Jerwood Arts, which supports emerging talent in arts and crafts in the UK.

This merger will take effect from 1 January 2024.

Former Jerwood Arts chairman Rupert Tyler has been appointed chair of the merged Jerwood boards.

Meanwhile, Alan Grieve, who has been chair of the Jerwood Foundation during the last 30 years, remains a trustee and chairman emeritus.

The merged organisation is being led by Jerwood Foundation’s executive director Lara Wardle, who said that a “new streamlined, easy to understand application process” has been put in place.

This “will enable us to distribute funds effectively for maximum impact fulfilling John Jerwood’s original philanthropic vision to support excellence and emerging talent in the UK”, she added.

Tyler said: “I’m looking forward to being able to increase support directly to our excellent and thriving creative and cultural sector.”

The Foundation is named after businessman and philanthropist John Jerwood, who died in 1991.

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