Our Arts Society funding has helped Corsham school to significantly improve its dark room facilities giving their photography students greater opportunities to experiment with new techniques. Vinh Dao, their Art and Photography teacher, joined us at the July lecture to showcase some of their work and highlighted the benefits of our support. Vinh commented "Your contributions have significantly enhanced learning for our students, enabling them to engage more deeply with the photographic process. We are truly grateful for your continued support and belief in the value of arts education.”

This summer we have partnered with the Wiltshire Museum in Devizes and Wiltshire Youth Justice to sponsor their Street Art project for those at ‘risk of offending’. We are also supporting the Museums’ Teencraft programme to provide free places for junior school pupils from low income families and sponsoring the new exhibition, opening in October 2025, called Downland: art and archeological imagination in Wiltshire.

We have been working with the Federation of Children’s Book Groups to promote reading via the Children’s Book Award. Our Arts funding allowed schools to purchase copies of the four picture books for younger children and the three novels for young readers. The Children’s Book Award is the only one in the UK voted for entirely by children and the overall winner was “I am Rebel” by Ross Montgomery. We plan to expand the scheme in 2026 and are currently looking for volunteers to read picture books to younger children. If you are interested in volunteering then do contact Karen at: karenhellewell@outlook.com

Many of you will be aware of the prestigious If Opera based in Bradford on Avon. Its success relies on young opera singers, many of whom have yet to establish their full-time singing careers. As well as providing opportunities for these emerging artists, If Opera creates coaching opportunities ahead of the performance. We have provided £400 to support this coaching.

We have also contributed £400 for If Opera’s Schools Education Project. During the summer term in 2025 two professional singers have been working with a number of schools over several weeks to create and premier in-school mini-operas. These works, based on The Comet Huntress, celebrate the life and career of local scientist, Caroline Herschel. On 10 July Ann Marie Cooper (Arts Projects) was delighted to attend the final rehearsals and performances at Colerne School and St Mary’s School, Chippenham along with parents and teachers. There was hardly a dry eye in the hall by the end. For more information visit: https://www.ifopera.com/schools

A new project for 2025 is our support for Wiltshire College’s Creative Arts Department. We are providing introductions and funds to support the Autumn launch of a Young Arts Lecture Programme. This will give students the opportunity to hear first hand from successful professionals across a variety of arts disciplines. Two lectures for the autumn are already confirmed and this project will roll out over the academic year.

It’s thanks to our Arts Society funding that we are able to broaden and increase the support we give to Arts Projects.