Central School of Ballet celebrates funding boost

London’s Central School of Ballet is receiving an increase in funding from its long-term supporter, Leverhulme Trust.

The multi-year funding, worth £600,000, is the largest scholarship award in Central’s 40-year history and will support selected pupils studying undergraduate degree courses and associate school programmes.

Part of the funds will go towards arts scholarship bursaries for six students per year across the next three academic years studying the BA (Hons) in Professional Dance and Performance.

In the same intake years, the investment will also support art scholarship bursaries for Central’s associate programme for students aged 11 to 16 and its pre-vocational junior associate programme for students aged 8 to 11.

This will be the first time the school has offered bursaries to its junior programme since it was established in 2023. The school says the funding will be targeted specifically towards students who come from low-income households and other groups underrepresented in ballet.

“The award is a driver of our widening access and participation programme that aims to make professionally delivered ballet training accessible to gifted dancers regardless of their background, or financial situation,” said Central’s executive director Mark Osterfield.