The Sky Foundation launches new bursary programme to support the future of UK dance

Wednesday 5 August 2026

The Sky Foundation launches new bursary programme to support the future of UK dance

Backed by Ashley Banjo MBE, The Julia Rausing Sky Arts Bursaries will support 20 dance-makers with funding, mentoring, professional development

and industry visibility

New research by independent charity The Sky Foundation found that six in ten Brits believe the next generation of dance talent will find the industry too expensive

Industry figures show the number of people working as dancers and choreographers has fallen by almost a third (32%) since 2019

Ashley Banjo MBE joins dance artists from a range of disciplines to mark the launch of The Julia Rausing Sky Arts Bursaries, which will support 20 dance-makers with funding, mentoring and professional development.

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The Sky Foundation has today launched The Julia Rausing Sky Arts Bursaries, a new programme delivered in partnership with The Julia Rausing Trust that will support 20 dance-makers across the UK with funding, mentoring, professional development and industry visibility.

The launch comes as new research commissioned on behalf of the Sky Foundation highlights the need to invest in the future of dance talent in the UK. Despite more than two thirds (68%) of the public believing dance is an important part of British culture, six in ten believe the next generation of dance talent will find the industry too expensive, while over half (55%) think only those from wealthier backgrounds can realistically pursue a career in dance. Nearly half (45%) believe the UK is missing out on dance talent that could contribute to British culture and the creative industries.

The concerns come alongside industry figures showing the number of people working as dancers and choreographers has fallen by almost a third (32%) since 2019, highlighting the growing challenges facing the sector.

The bursary programme also marks the launch of the newly created Sky Foundation, an independent charity established to back organisations and initiatives that help create lasting impact for people, places and the planet.

The Julia Rausing Sky Arts Bursaries is the Foundation's inaugural programme, funded by The Julia Rausing Trust, one of the UK's largest philanthropic foundations, and delivered in partnership with Sky Arts. Backed by dancer and choreographer Ashley Banjo MBE, the bursaries will support professional artists who create dance work, including choreographers and dancers who develop their own original pieces. Applications are welcome from people working in any style of dance, from any part of the UK. The new work created through the bursaries will also benefit the wider dance community, creating opportunities for dancers and creative collaborators across the UK.

Ashley Banjo MBE, dancer, choreographer and Diversity frontman, said: "Dance opened so many doors for me growing up. I was lucky that my mum ran a dance school, so I was surrounded by dance from an early age and had access to opportunities that helped shape my future.

But opportunities are becoming harder to access today, particularly for people who dont come from an affluent background. Creative potential should never be determined by a familys finances, yet these findings suggest cost is becoming an increasingly significant barrier to pursuing a career in dance.

The research also highlights just how unequal access to a career in dance has become. Eight in ten (80%) believe people from less affluent backgrounds face greater barriers to pursuing a career in dance, while just 6% believe everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed in the industry.

Two thirds (67%) believe talented people are being overlooked simply because they live in parts of the country with fewer opportunities. Regional disparities are particularly stark, with 38% of people in the North East, Northern Ireland and Wales reporting a lack of opportunities, compared with 26% in the South East.

The findings also suggest that barriers to a career in dance begin long before artists reach the professional stage. Respondents believe talented young people are being held back by the rising cost of pursuing dance, with 63% pointing to the expense of travel, equipment and competitions, while 57% believe many simply cannot afford to pursue creative careers.

Ashley added: "No one should feel that a career in dance is out of reach because they cant afford lessons, travel or competitions, or because there arent enough opportunities close to home. Talent can come from anywhere, and your background shouldnt determine your future."

Phil Edgar-Jones, Trustee of the Sky Foundation and Executive Director of Original Unscripted at Sky, said: "Dance is one of Britains great creative strengths. Its an artform that brings people together, tells powerful stories and reflects the diversity of communities across the UK. With public funding under pressure, many dance artists increasingly rely on the support of dance organisations, charities and funders to develop their careers. As a Trustee of the newly created Sky Foundation Im delighted that the first programme will support such an important cause through the Julia Rausing Sky Arts Bursaries, funded by The Julia Rausing Trust.

By providing funding, mentoring and practical industry support to 20 dance-makers across the UK who are at a key junction in their career, the bursaries will help remove some of the barriers talented artists face, giving them the confidence, connections and opportunity to develop their craft and build sustainable careers in dance. We hope they will help ensure talent, rather than financial circumstance, determines who gets the chance to succeed.

Sir Hans Rausing, Co-Founder of The Julia Rausing Trust, said: My beloved wife Julia was a passionate advocate for helping young people realise their potential, as w

LINK:	https://www.skygroup.sky/en-gb/article/the-sky-foundation-launches-new...
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