The first recipients of the Breakthrough Fund, set up specifically by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation to invest in exceptional individual arts entrepreneurs at an early stage of developing their ideas, have been announced.
Initially committing £4.5m over three years, the fund offers a new kind of support, recognising that a successful arts economy requires talented and visionary people to enable the work of great artists. The recipients include Stuart Bailie, CEO of the Oh Yeah Music Centre, Belfast (£191.8k), Gareth Evans (£250k) a moving image/events curator, freelance writer and creator of multimedia seasons of events and Nii Sackey, Director of Bigga Fish, which provides training and activities for young people (£250k). ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ (pictured) connects the other winners: it was created by Punchdrunk theatre, whose Artistic Director and Producer of Felix Barrett and Colin Marsh receive £300k, and was performed at Battersea Arts Centre, whose joint CEO and Artistic Director David Jubb was awarded £300k.