March 2025

The Mildred Fund launched to support visual art programmes for young people 13-19

The Mildred Fund supports visual art institutions to build young people’s personal, social and creative confidence through art.

The Fund has been created by Mildred (Midge) Palley following her long-term support of the Creative Connections programme at the National Portrait Gallery, and in response to the multiple challenges impacting young people’s lives.

Each year, a small number of art institutions from across the UK are invited to apply for funding to develop three-year programmes for young people. Projects are developed in partnership with underserved schools and community groups to improve young people’s skills confidence and wellbeing through working with artists.

In-depth research across the funded projects captures learning into the impact on young people of working closely on a regular basis with art, artists, galleries, museums – and each other.

Projects last for a maximum of three years, and happen in partnership with schools and community groups. The Fund supports twin-strand programmes working with two community partners:

• a school (or multi-academy trust) with high levels of free school meals or pupil premium
• a community youth group

Occasionally single strand projects with either a school or a community group are supported.

Working collaboratively and regularly with artist educators, young people explore artists’ work, gallery collections and exhibitions, and create their own collaborative work and responses.

Following a one-year pilot year working with Turner Contemporary in 2022/3, the Fund started to support new projects at three galleries in autumn 2023: Camden Art Centre, Tate St Ives and Turner Contemporary. It has now announced new projects with four galleries and museums for 2024/5. Each project lasts for three years.