Protecting talent
Preserving culture
Creating futures
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has entered its fourth year. The devastation continues to touch every aspect of daily life. Amid this profound disruption, Ukraine’s cultural institutions and the young people who depend on them face extraordinary challenges.
Our work responds to this reality with a purpose to sustain and strengthen Ukrainian ballet, an art form of deep national significance and international distinction. By supporting students, schools, and the continuity of professional training, we are helping to protect talent today while safeguarding Ukraine’s cultural future for generations to come.
Supporting the next generation of Ukrainian ballet
From September 2026, we aim to help talented young ballet students in Kyiv continue their professional training despite the immense challenges they face. Our focus is on students aged 10–18 studying at two of Ukraine’s most respected state ballet schools: Kyiv State Ballet College and the Serge Lifar Kyiv Municipal Academy of Dance. Admission to either school signals exceptional promise — these are young dancers with the potential to become the next generation of professional artists.
For many families the war has made continuing their child’s education heartbreakingly uncertain. Parents are coping with severe disruption to daily life: displacement from their homes, damage to livelihoods, and in some cases the loss of loved ones. Family incomes can be as low as £160 per month, making even basic study costs impossible to meet.
We are seeking to raise £50,000 by June 2026 to support approximately 30 students, ensuring they can remain in training.
Your contribution can make a tangible difference:
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A gift of £320 provides a year of essential dancewear for a girl, a gift of £240 provides a year of essential dancewear for a boy.
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£700 covers a student’s school lunches for a full year
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£1,500–£1,700 can support one student’s core annual study costs
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Larger gifts can sponsor multiple students or provide flexible support where need is greatest
Grants are awarded following an application from families and interviews conducted by charity representatives experienced in Ukrainian dance education, ensuring support reaches those most in need.
By giving, you are not only helping a young dancer continue their studies - you are protecting talent, hope, and cultural continuity during an extraordinarily difficult time.
2025 Impact: Supporting Ukraine’s young dancers
In 2025, we proudly delivered the first phase of our project to support aspiring young dancers in Ukraine, helping them continue their training despite the disruption caused by war.
Thanks to the exceptional generosity of Ferrexpo and Freed of London, we secured dancewear with a retail value of £166,000. This support was delivered in partnership with the NGO partner, the Union of Entrepreneurs Film and Television Industry (Unified State Register 36844356), which coordinated distribution to leading state dance schools.
As a result, essential dancewear has been supplied for more than 1,000 students in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Poltava and L'viv, including high-quality pointe shoes, which are now extremely difficult to get in Ukraine. Pointe shoes must be replaced frequently and are fundamental to a dancer’s professional development.
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Students of Kyiv State Ballet College receiving shoes and dancewear