Mike Howley Trust

Mike Howley worked for many years as Director of Cultural Services for the Isle of Wight Council. When he died in 2013, he had left part of his estate for the specific benefit of aspiring young actors, musicians, dancers and writers, between the ages of 18 and 30, living on the Isle of Wight.

MHT Funding Application Guidelines 2023

Watch this page for a new deadline in summer 2023

The Trustees of Mike Howley Trust welcome young Island creatives to apply for up to £1,500 to help them realise their artistic ambitions. Funds are available for those involved in dance, theatre (including film/video), music and writing.

  TO APPLY:

  1. You must be at least 18 years of age and no older than 30 years of age on the date of the application deadline. 
  2. You must live on the Isle of Wight. 
  3. You must use the entire amount awarded on your proposed project/purchase. If awarded funds do not cover the full cost of the project, you must be prepared to use other resources to make up any difference.
  4. You may apply to use funds in areas such as training, coaching, recording, rehearsal space, staging, publishing, instruments, equipment, conference fees/travel/hotel, legal fees, etc. You may use no more than 10% of an award for promotion/marketing.
  5. You cannot use MHT funds for university/college fees/housing or for time to create.
  6. You must spend the funds in their entirety within 4 months of the announcement of awards, or you will have to repay the funds. (Time extensions may be permitted in exceptional circumstances.)
  7. If you have been awarded MHT funds in the past you may apply again if you have submitted your final report.
  8. You must make your funding request through a specific Application process:
    • Platform One College of Music full time students on either the BA (Hons) Commercial Music or MA Music Industry Innovation & Enterprise study programmes must apply directly through Platform One.
    • All other applicants must use the online form *which will be available in summer 2023 *

Applicants will receive email acknowledgement of their online submission and will be contacted about award decisions approximately one month following the application deadline.

Examples of past Mike Howley Trust awards: 

  • A creative writer received funds for courses exploring writing and illustrating children’s books. 
  • A musician received funds to help develop, mix and re-master tracks for an album. 
  • A dancer/choreographer received funds for 1-to-1 specialist training. 
  • A filmmaker received funds towards pre-production costs.

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION: Be realistic! Can you accomplish the task in the short time frame with the amount you request? Tell us why this is important to your creative aspirations. Show us with work samples (they don’t need to be professionally produced) that you are serious about being creative.

Questions? Contact MHT@quayarts.org

Quay Arts (charity number 272007) administers this programme on behalf of the Trustees of the Mike Howley Trust.