BRIT Trust Diaries: Tony Wadsworth on 2026 funding grants and BRIT School success with UK talen
In this first edition of the New Year of the BRIT Trust Diaries, BRIT Trust chair Tony Wadsworth CBE reflects on the important causes being funded across the UK with BRIT Trust grants in 2026, as well as on how long-term funding of The BRIT School is supporting its successes, with its star alumni garnering a record-breaking 15 BRITs nominations to shine ever-more brightly on the world stage.
I hope it’s not too late for me, on behalf of the trustees, to wish everyone working in music a happy New Year. There are, of course, a great many challenges that we continue to face, but there is also much to feel excited about. Music always has that ability to inspire hope.
As the industry’s long-standing charity, we feel a close bond with all those who have a connection to music. It is thanks to their valued commitment and generosity, including through The BRIT Awards and The MITS, that we are able to support a host of diverse causes around the country that draw on the power of music and the creative arts to improve lives.
It’s hopefully proving a good start to 2026 for the 10 charities that successfully applied for a BRIT Trust grant for this year. As we announced before Christmas, these operate across the UK, including Anthem in Wales, Hand Of in Newcastle and the North-East, Healthy n Happy in Glasgow, Pedestrian in Leicester, and Performing Room in Northampton.
They join London and South-East-based charities Abram Wilson, BAPAM, East London Arts and Music (ELAM), Heart n Soul, and Tomorrow’s Warriors in receiving our support. These causes do so much good through music by helping artists, supporting their communities, or nurturing diverse creative talent.
It’s certainly been an auspicious start to 2026 for our long-term beneficiary, The BRIT School. Their talented alumni have picked up where they ended a stellar 2025, claiming a record-breaking 15 BRITs nominations last week, including a headline-grabbing five each for Olivia Dean and Lola Young and multiple nominations for Raye.
This success reflects a remarkable 12 months that has seen Olivia land a UK No.1 single and album and a Top 5 Hot 100 position in the US; Raye also topping the official singles chart; and Lola Young’s Messy named the most shared song in the world in the past 12 months. In addition, all three have received coveted Grammy nominations – pointing to how they are leading the global charge for the next generation of British talent.
The BRIT Trust is OUR music industry’s charity, and works to improve lives through the power of music and the creative arts
Tony Wadsworth
And this is just part of the story. If you caught Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny on New Year’s Eve, you would also have enjoyed performances by Olivia and other alumni Jessie J and the Kooks, while on the stroke of midnight BRIT School production arts student Morgan Evans (who is only 24) was the lighting designer on the London Eye fireworks.
Our congratulations to the school’s principal, Stuart Worden OBE, all the teachers and staff, and, of course, the students who contribute so much to British music and the wider creative industries, both culturally and economically. And all this is achieved by a school in Croydon, South London with 1,500 pupils, none of whom pay a penny for a world class creative and performing arts education.
While I am on the subject of the school, may I also use this occasion to acknowledge and thank, on behalf of all our industry really, Alexa Cruikshank, who, after some 14 years, is moving on from her position as communications director to take up a new role at Mountview Drama School. Anyone who has worked with Alexa will know just how much she has contributed to the success of the School, and we wish her well in her future endeavours.
Finally, I extend new year wishes to Sandra Schembri, CEO of our other long-term beneficiary, Nordoff And Robbins, following the news that she is to step down from her role. She has been inspirational over the past five-plus years, not least in guiding the charity through the challenges of the Covid pandemic. She will depart with our profound thanks and best wishes, and, of course, she is bowing out in a special year that will see the UK’s largest music therapy provider celebrate the 50th anniversary of its O2 Silver Clef Awards at the Royal Albert Hall on Thursday, July 9.
The BRIT Trust is OUR music industry’s charity, and works to improve lives through the power of music and the creative arts.
Since its foundation by record labels and the BPI in 1989, it has made around 300 grants totaling over £30 million to a range of charities across the UK that promote education and wellbeing, including to its two leading beneficiaries, The BRIT School and Nordoff and Robbins.
So please do support us, and together let’s help all these wonderful causes enjoy a happy New Year! Thank you.