The Hope Scott Trust was set up by the late Mrs Hope Scott to help promote Music and the Visual Arts in Scotland. The Trust allocates a proportion of its resources to help musicians with commissions or grants for musical events and it also helps artists and sculptors (with a particular focus on emerging artists) with grants for exhibitions, catalogues and travel etc. Preference is given to applicants who are Scottish by birth, or live permanently in Scotland.

Grants are not given to cover ordinary educational/course fees, except in exceptional cases. Grants are however given in some cases for further tuition and associated travel costs in the UK and in other countries. Please note that the Trust does not fund instrument purchases nor does it fund documentary filmmaking.

In order to apply for funding from the trust, your application together with supporting documentation must be submitted electronically and consist of one document only. The completed application form will include a description of the project for which you are applying for a grant and its aims. Further supporting documentation should be included as part of your electronic submission and added at the end of each of the Art and Music application forms. CDs are still acceptable by post. Please do not submit more than twelve images at any one time.

Once you have collated your application into a single document and it is ready for submission, please email it to the Hope Scott Trust address noted below. In order to comply with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), in addition to emailing the completed application, applicants are asked to print off the signing page and thereafter email it separately duly signed.

Applicants should be aware that grants very rarely exceed £2,000 and more commonly are for lesser sums. Please note the trust operates a no repeats policy and will not consider repeat applications from successful applicants within 3 years. Intending applicants are asked to bear in mind that the trust has limited funds. The trustees would like to use the money at their disposal to help people and projects where there is a serious financial need.

Due to the negative effects of the pandemic on public exhibitions and performances, the Trustees may consider awarding grants up to a maximum of £5,000 at their meetings in April 2021 and June/July 2021. They will also consider applications from applicants who have been successful in the past 3 years.