Children and Young People, TalentAid
Tom’s story
Tom had always dreamt of performing on stage, but when the reality of school fees and daily living costs became a barrier on the road to his success, he contacted the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF, the Freemason’s Charity) for support.
“Back in 2013 I began taking steps towards a career in the arts. I trained for 5 years at 3 schools: The Royal Ballet School, Elmhurst Ballet School, and The Hammond. Throughout my time at all of these, I was lucky enough to receive support financially from the government’s ‘Music and Dance Funding Scheme’. Without this, I wouldn’t have been able to attend.
Following that, I began my training at Laine Theatre Arts, one of the most prestigious Musical Theatre colleges in the country; I continued to receive government funding through their ‘Dance and Drama Award’. While this covered the cost of my basic training, it didn’t allow for the price of my accommodation, food and utilities in London, or additional music lessons which were required. “
For many young people pursuing a career in the arts, the extra costs can put a real strain on their families. A report by ART31 on Young People and Arts Engagement found that anxiety and cost are the biggest barriers to getting involved in the arts. In the survey, 30.4% of respondents mentioned anxiety, while 29.4% cited cost as a major concern.
For my first year of training my parents scraped together the money as best as they could, but an additional £7,000 a year in expenses wasn’t feasible for them, and at the end of the year we were having serious conversations about how I would have to conclude my training. This is when we applied for ‘TalentAid’ support.
The MCF’s TalentAid programme supports children and young people who are exceptionally talented in music, sport or the performing arts. Grants can be awarded to assist with ongoing costs such as sports coaching, advanced music lessons or the purchase of one-off items such as sports equipment or a musical instrument.
I remember vividly the moment we found out I would be receiving a grant from the MCF. The elation and relief was felt by all of my family as the MCF had provided me with the opportunity to continue to follow my dream, and my family with the freedom to live without the elevated financial strain. The grant covered all of the costs required for me to be able to finish my diploma over the next two years. I graduated with a Level 6 Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre in 2021.
Applications for the MCF’s TalentAid programme are assessed based on an eligibility criteria which requires the young person to have a strong connection to a Freemason (being either a child, step-child, grandchild or step-grandchild of a Freemason), be 25 years of age or under as well as display an exceptional level within their chosen talent. More information about eligibility for this programme can be found here.
“Since leaving college, I have been in the cast of ‘Grease the Musical’ and ‘Invitation to Dance’ onboard Royal Caribbean’s ‘Independence of the Seas’ where I spent 10 months travelling around the Bahamas, I’ve performed in two pantomimes back in the UK, and I’m currently working onboard Royal Caribbean’s ‘Anthem of the Seas’ in the cast of ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘The Gift’. I’ll be visiting North America, Europe, Africa and Asia during this 12 month contract. We Will Rock You is one of my dream musicals and it’s a joy to be performing in it.”
I feel extremely grateful to be here and some of that gratitude is owed to the MCF. I would not have completed my training and continued to work towards my aspirations had the MCF not invested in my future. Thank you to the MCF for their support. I hope the MCF understands what a huge difference they have made to my life and to the lives of my family members.
