The Mo Siewcharran Fund is delighted to announce the recipients of five new grant awards: independent arts and events venue, Shoreditch Town Hall; British African heritage contemporary theatre, tiata fahodzi; children’s book publisher, Lantana; internationally touring dance organisation Dance Consortium; and leading scholarly publisher, Edinburgh University Press.
Now in its seventh year, the Mo Siewcharran Fund continues to champion a range of creative organisations, with a mission to help young people from Black, Asian and ethnically diverse backgrounds pursue careers in publishing, music and theatre.
Impact of the fund
Since its launch in 2018, the Fund has supported 57 Black, Asian and ethnically diverse trainees in publishing, theatre and music across the UK. Each grant contributes to the salary costs for a six-month traineeship and a full programme of support from Creative Access to ensure the trainee thrives in their new role.
The Fund’s impact is clear: two-thirds (63%) of interns have stayed on at their host organisation at the end of their traineeship, nine in ten (89%) continued to work in the same sector, and more than half (56%) brought fresh ideas and new perspectives to their company and role.
In addition to welcoming our newest grant recipients, we are pleased to publish our latest impact report for 2022 – 2025.
On this latest round of recipients, the founder of the Mo Siewcharran Fund, John Seaton said:
“It seems almost incredible that the interconnected concepts of equality, diversity and inclusion should be under any sort of threat. With a little hint of defiance, I will say they provide the mainspring of the Mo Siewcharran Fund. It is hugely exciting to welcome five companies, two in publishing, two in theatre and one in dance, who share these values so strongly. I look forward to working with them. It is a permanent joy to work with Creative Access who make all this happen.”
Josie Dobrin OBE, executive chair, Creative Access, said:
“The Mo Siewcharran Fund continues to be a joy to work with John on and the calibre of applications get stronger and stronger with each round. To that end, it’s a delight to award these newest awards to four such committed organisations. We’re confident that the lucky trainees recruited to each opportunity will have excellent experiences which act as springboards for their future careers in the sector”.
Shoreditch Town Hall is an independent arts and events venue presenting bold, original theatre, live performance and community programmes. Shoreditch Town Hall’s CEO, Julie Flavell said:
“We’re thrilled to be working with Creative Access through the Mo Siewcharran Fund to create meaningful, inclusive routes into the arts. This funding enables us to offer a hands-on, supported placement that gives a young person from the Global Majority real exposure to our creative and operational work. We’re excited not only to welcome a new voice to Shoreditch Town Hall, but to ensure the legacy of this opportunity lasts far beyond the placement itself.
Tiata fahodzi ltd. is a theatre company producing world-class work that reflects and celebrates the African heritage experience in Britain today. Artistic director & CEO, Chinonyerem Odimba, said:
“Tiata fahodzi is absolutely delighted to be a part of the Mo Siewcharran fund this year. We are all about bringing new diverse talent into the industry and being able to provide a young future theatre maker with an insight into how we work is an absolute joy.”
Lantana Publishing is an award-winning independent publisher committed to diverse and inclusive books for children. Christofere Fila, associate publisher, said:
“I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude in receiving the Mo Siewcharran Memorial Fund. As a small business, this is such a vital opportunity for us to transfer skills to someone from an under-represented background. We hope to provide a welcoming and productive environment to someone deserving, who will then go on to find a professional position somewhere else with confidence. And maybe one day in return they will also train someone and complete the circle.”
Dance Consortium is a group of UK theatres working together to bring the best international contemporary dance to audiences across the country. Dance Consortium’s chief executive, Joe Bates, said:
“Dance Consortium is proud to have been awarded a grant from the Mo Siewcharran Fund, managed by Creative Access, in support of our commitment to nurturing the next generation of diverse talent in the arts. This funding will help us provide meaningful career development for a young person from an under-represented background, as we continue to develop unique opportunities to support and diversify the touring ecology. This new partnership with Creative Access strengthens our mission to inspire new, diverse audiences and contribute to a more representative and equitable creative sector.”
Edinburgh University Press is a leading academic publisher sharing groundbreaking scholarship with global reach across the humanities and social sciences. Nicola Ramsey, chief executive officer, said:
“We know that a team is stronger when it is diverse, in terms of culture and morale, and that we benefit both personally and as a business from the creative solutions that come from a range of life perspectives and experiences. I am delighted that we will have the support of Creative Access and the Mo Siewcharran Fund in recruiting and training a publishing trainee from an under-represented background.”
The fund opens its next grant round
The Fund is once again open for other theatre, publishing or music organisations wishing to support internships for those from under-represented communities. The deadline for the next round is midday Thursday 27 November 2025. Those interested in applying should download the application form here.
