The African Arts Trust is a charitable trust set up to support visual artists by the collector and philanthropist, Robert Devereux, following the successful fundraising auction of his private collection of post-war British art at Sothebys, London in 2010.

The trust is based on years of frequent travel to Africa and the recognition that there is a wealth of talented visual artists whose opportunities are stifled by the lack of resources available locally in the visual arts sector.

The charity is run by the following trustees, Robert Devereux, Founder and Director, Hamish Dewar, Director of Hamish Dewar Conservation Ltd, Robin Woodhead, Chairman of Sotheby’s International and administered by Lynnet Ngigi.

What We Fund

The African Arts Trust only support the visual arts, with an emphasis on grass roots organisations that support professional practicing artists trying to make a livelihood in the visual arts.

Please do not apply if your project is not visual arts e.g. if you work in theatre, dance, music, literature. These art forms are not eligible for funding by the Trust.

Grant making is concentrated geographically on Eastern and Southern Africa.

The African Arts Trust has divided what it will fund into areas of high and medium priority:

High

• Core funding for arts organisations
• Studio spaces

Medium

• Workshops and residencies
• Project funding
• Exhibitions
• Competitions/awards

The African Arts Trust may fund in rare circumstances (exceptional merit):

• Books/Publications
• Video/Radio
• Festivals/Biennales

At the moment The African Arts Trust will not fund:

• Individuals
• Academic research
• Unsolicited general appeals

Stage 1 – Questionnaire

Potential applicants must fill out the questionnaire first to determine whether your aims & proposal fit the Trust’s remit.

Please do not apply if your project is not visual arts e.g. if you work in theatre, dance, music, literature. These art forms are not eligible for funding by the Trust.

The questionnaire is available to download at the bottom of this page. Please then email it to theafricanartstrust@gmail.com who will advise you whether or not to submit a full application.

Stage 2 – Full Application form

Once the questionnaire has been approved please download one of the 2 forms using the links below.

Core funding – is for organisations looking for general support for their arts organisation for a period of time

Project funding – is for a one off or annual art project that has a finite end.

Please send all applications by email to: theafricanartstrust@gmail.com.

Any large documents, publications, DVDs etc. can be posted to:
The African Arts Trust, 5 Ladbroke Terrace, London, W11 3PG.

You will hear back from TAAT within a month of sending your application, if you application is approved, grants may take up to 3 months to process.

Grant size and duration

TAAT generally funds small to medium sized organisations and projects and can give one off, annual and multi year grants for up to 3 years (5 years in exceptional circumstances).

Timetable

The African Arts Trust does not operate specific grant application deadlines you are welcome once you have checked the criteria to download a questionnaire and fill it in at any point during the year.

If you are applying on behalf of an artist for a residency, workshop or exhibition – the Trust requests that the artist donates an artwork to the the African Arts Trust art collection. This collection will be used to promote African art and the artists represented in it and will at some point be donated to a public museum or sold and the proceeds used to make further grants

Click here to download forms for

• Project Funding
• Core Funding
• Questionnaire