Today marks 25 years since the Genesis Foundation began its mission to support and nurture the development of outstanding emerging talent across theatre, choral music, visual arts, literature and so much more.

Here is a note from our Founder and Chairman, John Studzinski CBE:

25 years ago today, on 5 January 2001, the Genesis Foundation was registered as a charity.

Since that time, the Foundation has supported tens of thousands of artists and built long-term partnerships with some of the UK’s most vital cultural institutions, such as the Almeida Theatre, National Theatre, Royal Academy of Arts, Royal Court Theatre and The Sixteen.

Genesis has never been about quick wins or sending people out the door with a cheque. It has been about real support – for artists, ideas and institutions – long enough for talent to take root and for confidence to grow. The creation of art requires patience, trust and belief.

The word that sums this up for me is dignity. Dignity is giving people the tools and the time to create their work, not just the means to get by. This became even clearer to me during the pandemic, when we launched the £1 million Genesis Kickstart Fund to support freelancers in the arts who had lost their contracts effectively overnight, with no support structure in place. As Sir Simon Rattle said at the time, “The most important thing is not just to support the freelancers, but to actually give them real work.”

That belief has been at the heart of the Genesis Foundation from the very beginning. We want to give people the conditions in which they can achieve their creative potential. Art is not neat. It is experimental, uncertain, and sometimes it fails; that is not only acceptable, it is necessary. What matters is that artists feel supported enough to take risks, learn from what doesn’t work, and return stronger, clearer and closer to what they are trying to achieve.

As our anniversary year begins, I hope it will inspire more people to consider what they can do for the causes they are passionate about, to think long-term, and to recognise that no good thing is worth having unless it is shared. In 2026, working in partnership with visionary leaders and respected, forward-looking organisations in the cultural field, the Genesis Foundation will continue to build the skills and resources of outstanding creative professionals. As ever, our aim is to ensure that they will be able to share their exceptional talents with the world over the years and decades to come.

If you would like to contribute to the Genesis Foundation’s continued work in sustaining the arts, please follow this link to our donations page.

The Royal Academy of Arts has announced the next two curators joining the Genesis Future Curators Programme. 

Chosen from over 750 applicants, Emily Pryke and Jada McMillian will begin 2-year full-time paid positions at the Royal Academy this week, with Emily working in the Exhibitions team and Jada in Collections. 

Emily finished her Masters in Art, History and Museum curating earlier this year at the University of Sussex, having previously completed her BA at the University of London, and has since volunteered at the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne. 

Jada has just completed an MA in History of Art at Birkbeck, University of London, following her BA in Humanities at Montclair State University, New Jersey, USA. Since being in the UK, she has volunteered at the National Portrait Gallery as an archive’s assistant. 

The two new curators succeed Natasha Fyffe (Exhibitions) and Gabriel Jamroz (Collections), whose two-year training over the first iteration of the programme culminated in a small graduation ceremony, as part of a Genesis Conversation held at the Royal Academy of Arts in September. 

Gabriel has now begun further studies on an MA in Principles of Conservation at University College London, while Natasha is travelling to Tokyo and hoping to get relevant work in the arts curation world there. 

Find out more about the Genesis Future Curators Programme 

John Studzinski & David Byrne (c) The AMI Collection

Today the Genesis Foundation announces its return to the Royal Court Theatre with a major new multi-year partnership investing in play commissioning and development.

The partnership will include underwriting a suite of annual Genesis Commissions and Genesis Labs for the future pipeline of new work – including its first commission in 2026: The Afronauts by Ryan Calais Cameron (For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy, Retrograde).

The announcement coincides with the Royal Court’s 70th anniversary programme, which included the Jerwood Foundation also returning as a supporter.

John Studzinski, Founder and Chairman of the Genesis Foundation, said: 

“I am delighted that the Genesis Foundation is once again supporting the Royal Court theatre with the new Genesis Next Generation programme. This initiative embodies our commitment to nurturing emerging talent and supporting innovative new writing under David Byrne’s leadership. The Royal Court has been pivotal in fostering bold and resonant new works. Our collaboration aims to create essential platforms for artists at the start of their careers, ensuring the continued influence of daring voices in theatre.

Building on a rich 70-year history with the Royal Court, we are excited to support the next generation of playwrights and uphold the theatre’s role as a beacon for creativity and experimentation.“

Find out more about the Royal Court’s 70th anniversary programme

The Jewish Literary Foundation has announced the new cohort for the Genesis Emerging Writers Programme, which returns for its fifth anniversary in 2025/26. Helping launch the careers of 50 authors to date, the celebrated programme supports writers across fiction, non-fiction and poetry. 

 The annual Genesis Emerging Writers Programme returns for the fifth consecutive year in 2025/26 with one of its strongest cohorts to date. Presenting new voices across fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, this year’s cohort reflects the diversity and breadth of work that the programme has championed since its inception in 2021. 

Open to emerging writers in the UK over 18 years of age, the programme has so far supported the careers of 50 authors, with a track record of almost 50 per cent of writers securing publishing deals following the programme. 

The initiative is run in partnership with the Genesis Foundation, which has enabled opportunities for thousands of young artists and writers across the UK. The Programme prides itself on its inclusivity, breadth, and range of support. Welcoming applications from writers with three years’ experience of being published or less, it provides a platform for those who are either working, or planning to work, on a specific project with the aim of publication. 

As Founder and Chairman of the Genesis Foundation John Studzinski says, 

“The fifth cohort of emerging writers explores topics that are compelling in their relevance, diversity, and depth. The mentor-mentee relationship remains essential to an artist’s development, and the Jewish Literary Foundation has carefully selected outstanding mentors to support and guide these talented writers. 

This programme reflects our mission over the past 25 years: to foster and nurture creative and emerging talent. We hope it serves as a meaningful stepping stone in the careers of these promising writers.” 

Under the expert guidance of a stellar line-up of mentors, including the Wingate-Prize winning non-fiction author Thomas Harding, Booker-Prize longlisted Ben Markovits, Times Book of the Month novelist Kate Worsley, and Seamus Heaney Poetry Prize shortlisted Stav Poleg, the new cohort will develop their work over an 11-month period. Beginning with a weekend retreat supported by Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe, the cohort of ten writers will benefit from bursaries of up to £1,500, peer support, industry exposure, and specialist seminars, before appearing at the 75th anniversary of Jewish Book Week next March. 

Joining the group of ten writers are fiction authors Christina Care, Irene Morlino, Arran Davage, and Lia Martin. Working on non-fiction are Stav Meishar, Lottie Whalen, and Laura Godfrey-Isaacs, while in the field of poetry are Chloe Yale Pinto, Gemma Barnett and Catherine Norris. 

The work being developed as part of the programme is as diverse as the pool of emerging writers, with topics ranging from Jewish circus families and the embodied history of women’s lives to a Gothic re-imagining of the rise of Puritanism in 16th Century England, mental health and addiction, and the contrast between the hardships of contemporary Italians and their predecessors during the Resistance. 

As Director of the Genesis Emerging Writers’ Programme Sarah Fairbairn says, 

“This year’s projects are as varied as they are inspiring; illustrating personal experiences, exploring historical events and interrogating the world we live in now. These writers and their incredible mentors represent the huge breadth of developing talent that must be supported so that we can continue to enjoy the rich cultural landscape that the Jewish Literary Foundation celebrates through all its activities. We are so grateful for our long-standing partnership with the Genesis Foundation which makes this project possible.” 

Find out more about the programme

The Genesis Emerging Writers

Genesis Sixteen alumnus James Newby has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music by the University of Leicester. 

James is a former baritone from the fifth cohort of the Genesis Sixteen programme and has since received the 2022 Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award as well as being named an ECHO Rising Star 2022. He made his Garsington Opera debut in 2024 as Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a role which he will revive with Opéra de Lausanne in its 2025 season. 

James received his award during the University of Leicester’s summer graduation ceremony at De Montfort Hall on 18 July. 

He said “This is, without a doubt, the greatest honour of my career to date. To be recognised in this way by an institution as prestigious as the University of Leicester is incredibly special. But for me, it feels even more extraordinary given that Leicester is my hometown”. 

Read more in the Leicester Times 

Jessica Cale, Bethany Horak-Hallett & Matthew McKinney

Three alumni from the Genesis Sixteen programme, run in partnership between the Genesis Foundation and The Sixteen, will appear in the world premiere of Glyndebourne’s The Railway Children. The new opera is a collaboration between composer Mark-Anthony Turnage and librettist Rachael Hewer, based on Edith Nesbit’s classic novel. 

Jessica Cale and Matthew McKinney, who have both won the Kathleen Ferrier Award, will play two of the leading roles of Bobbie and Peter respectively. Bethany Horak-Hallett will play Yolanda. 

Glyndebourne’s Artistic Director Stephen Langridge directs the new production, with Tim Anderson conducting the Glyndebourne Sinfonia, the Glyndebourne Chorus and principal cast. 

This new opera reimagines Nesbit’s story by shifting its setting from Edwardian England to the Cold War and expanding the theme of espionage.  

The Railway Children premieres on Thursday 30 October, with two further performances on Saturday 01 November. Glyndebourne will also host two performances of The Railway Children for local schools on Tuesday 4 November and Thursday 6 November. The opera will then be presented as a staged concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in the Southbank Centre on Saturday 8 November. 

Book tickets for The Railway Children 

The Genesis Theatre Design Programme is now accepting applications for its second cohort of eight new trainee theatre designers. This initiative aims to address under-representation in theatre design, by providing free, comprehensive training and mentorship to global majority adults from socially and economically challenging backgrounds.

The programme is open to individuals aged 21 and over. While no specific qualifications are required, applicants must submit a portfolio or summary of previous creative work, including work or education experience, or a self-directed project in a creative field.

Launched in 2023, the two-year, part-time programme focuses on Staging, Performance, and Costume Design, offering participants tutorials with world-class designers and directors, lectures and research projects, practical training, design projects, and placements as design assistants. The programme’s unique approach emphasises a close connection to working theatre, mirroring its predecessor the renowned Motley Theatre Design Course.

“This programme is an intentional intervention to cultivate a new cohort of creatives, predominantly in backstage roles, from diverse global majority heritage,” says course leader Gbolahan Obisesan. “Along with acquiring new craft and artistic skills, these individuals will, after two years, then take their knowledge to various companies and organisations…that will be the start of new career paths in the creative industries, aiming to redress the imbalance of representation.”

The Genesis Theatre Design Programme is a partnership between the Mulberry Schools Trust, the National Theatre, and The School of Historical Dress, and is funded by the Genesis Foundation, with additional support from the James Family Charitable Trust.

One of the trainees from the first two-year programme says: “The Genesis Theatre Design Programme has been a collection of extraordinary experiences – from building technical skills in model-making to expanding my knowledge of the historical context of fabric and clothing. Under the mentorship of such skilled and established designers, we have been given the space and guidance to cultivate our design ideas, eventually bringing them to life as three-dimensional projects. This course has given me invaluable practical skills, knowledge and connections and completely changed the trajectory of my life.”

The course leaders are:

• Gbolahan Obisesan: Award-winning British Nigerian actor, writer and director and former Artistic Director of Brixton House.
• Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey: Black British Theatre Award and UK Theatre Award-winning designer.
• ULTZ: Olivier Award, UK Theatre Award, Off-West End Award-winning, and Tony Award-nominated designer/director.

John Studzinski, Founder and Chairman of the Genesis Foundation, says:

“Emerging designers will benefit from two years of mentorship from some of the UK’s leading design professionals. Structured, collaborative programmes like this are vital to the UK’s cultural sector, ensuring that the country thrives and leads by example when it comes to innovation, professionalism, and representation.”

Find out more about how to apply to the Genesis Theatre Design Programme

The Sixteen is pleased to reveal the names of the 22 young singers who will join the 15^th cohort of Genesis Sixteen this autumn, as well as announcing Florence Price as the Genesis Sixteen Conducting Scholar. Over 300 singers have now been involved in the Genesis Sixteen programme, with alumni making waves in the UK and across the world.

Harry Christophers, Founder and Conductor of The Sixteen, says:

“We always look forward to welcoming a new cohort of Genesis Sixteen singers, and this year is no exception – we are thrilled to be welcoming such an exciting breadth of talent to the programme, supported by our friends and colleagues at the Genesis Foundation.

As we reach the important milestone of fifteen cohorts, we are also using this moment to celebrate the number of alumni this programme now has – many forging incredible careers as performers, teachers, workshop leaders and conductors.

We are incredibly proud of this programme and we look forward to seeing all that it can inspire in years to come.”

Supported by the Genesis Foundation, Genesis Sixteen is The Sixteen’s free young artists’ programme for 18-23-year-olds which aims to nurture the next generation of talented ensemble singers.  Now entering its 15^th year, Genesis Sixteen is the UK’s first ever fully funded programme of its kind.

The new cohort are:

The latest Genesis Sixteen cohort welcomes singers from across the UK and Northern Ireland, and this year introduces a singer who has been involved in The Sixteen’s Talent Development Pipeline project. The project, now in its third year, sees The Sixteen in partnership with Barnsley Youth Choirs, the Diocese of Leeds Schools Singing Programme, Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Voices and London Youth Choirs, offering young singers the opportunity to develop skills and discover pathways in the industry. The programme also aims to diversify the talent pipeline of singers entering young artists programmes, ensuring that singers from across the country have equal opportunities to take part in the world of choral music.

During the course of a year, a series of week-long and weekend courses are led by key figures from The Sixteen, including founder and conductor Harry Christophers and associate conductor Eamonn Dougan. Participants also receive group tuition, individual mentoring, one-per-part consort training from members of The Sixteen and masterclasses run by some of the world’s top vocal experts. Support from the Genesis Foundation means participants receive free tuition and a bursary to cover all additional costs.

James Kitchingham, a tenor in the fifteenth cohort of Genesis Sixteen, says:

“I’m really looking forward to meeting the other members of my cohort and also learning from some incredibly inspiring professionals over the course of the year. I hope that I’ll become a more well-rounded musician by next summer thanks to Genesis Sixteen.”

Sarah Colgan, an alto in the fifteenth cohort of Genesis Sixteen, says:

“I’m excited to be making music with like-minded singers who also share a deep passion for choral music. The opportunity to work at such a high artistic level, with guidance from some of the UK’s most respected musicians, is incredibly exciting and such an honour. I’m especially eager to hone my ensemble skills, explore a wide range of repertoire, and to be part of a programme that so clearly nurtures both musical and personal growth.”

Recent members of Genesis Sixteen are forging impressive careers. Jessica Cale, Bethany Horak-Hallett and Matthew McKinney, three singers from the third, fourth and seventh cohort respectively will form the three main roles in The Railway Children – a new opera by Mark Anthony Turnage to be staged at Glyndebourne this Autumn. Also in the opera world, Ella Blair who formed part of the twelfth cohort of Genesis Sixteen, this year joins the Vienna State Opera Chorakademie.

Elsewhere, Matthew Quinn, conducting scholar from the eleventh cohort, now takes on the role of Chorus Director at ENO, in addition to being Principal Conductor of National Youth Choir (15-18 group). Three Genesis Sixteen alumni now also form part of The Sixteen: Elizabeth Paul from the third cohort is the newest member of the alto section, joining tenor Oscar Golden-Lee from the seventh cohort and alto Edward McMullan from the first cohort as full time members of the choir.

The current and fourteenth cohort of Genesis Sixteen will complete their training in a performance at The Sixteen’s annual Sounds Sublime festival at St James’s Piccadilly. The annual event curated by The Sixteen showcases the passion, joy and diversity of the human voice, and this year celebrates young voices and their extraordinary talent as choral musicians.

Read more about the 15th Genesis Sixteen cohort

The Genesis Foundation is delighted to announce that highly acclaimed British stage director Joe Hill-Gibbins, has been awarded the £25,000 Genesis Foundation Prize 2025. The prestigious award recognises an exceptional mentor in the arts whose work has profoundly impacted the careers of fellow artists. Hill-Gibbins’ selection highlights his commitment to fostering the next generation of creative talent. 

Joe works nationally and internationally as a theatre and opera director. Between 2007 and 2013 he was a resident director at the Young Vic Theatre, where he became Deputy Artistic Director to David Lan, and the first Genesis Fellow. His recent productions include Ibsen’s Ghosts at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe and Lear at Hannover Staatsoper.   

The Genesis Foundation Prize will support Hill-Gibbins’ ambitious short film, This Is Your Five Minute Call, a 15-minute comedy-drama blending a fictional backstage opera crisis with the personal story of a family member’s mental health crisis.  

This project, already partially funded, will receive a significant boost from the prize money, enabling its completion. The film boasts an impressive cast, featuring Sir Simon Russell Beale, who appeared in Joe’s production of The Tragedy of Richard the Second at the Almeida, and Gemma Arterton. Half of the film was shot backstage this year at English National Opera during the run of Hill-Gibbins’ own production of The Marriage of Figaro. 

Crucially, Hill-Gibbins’ vision extends beyond the film itself. The £25,000 award will also fund a mentorship programme for five emerging artists: Crispin Lord, Jenny Ogilvie, Lucy Wray, Rosanna Vize, and Leo Bill. Crispin Lord is an accomplished director, movement director, and performer with extensive experience in opera and theatre, including assistant director roles with English National Opera; Jenny Ogilvie is a director and movement specialist with extensive experience in opera and theatre internationally, known for her collaborative work in live performance; Lucy Wray is a director and collaborative theatre maker focusing on climate change narratives, and recognised for their award-winning work; Rosanna Vize is an outstanding young stage designer who has worked on numerous high-profile theatre productions; and Leo Bill is an award-winning actor and writer/director known for his work at the National Theatre, Almeida, and Young Vic, and has numerous film and television credits. 

These talented individuals, several of whom worked alongside Hill-Gibbins on his Olivier Award nominated production of Bluebeard’s Castle at ENO in 2024, represent a diverse range of creative disciplines within theatre and film, each bringing their unique expertise to the project. Joe Hill-Gibbins’ programme will foster their professional development and provide invaluable hands-on experience. 

John Studzinski, Founder & Chairman of the Genesis Foundation, said:  
 
“Joe was our very first Genesis Fellow at the Young Vic Theatre in 2010, and we are delighted now to award him the Genesis Foundation Prize. The Genesis Foundation believes in backing and nurturing talent in the long run, and it is a privilege to support an artist’s work first as an emerging and then as a more established, confident voice. It is important that the five talented individuals Joe has chosen to work with him on his projects will benefit from his mentoring.” 

Joe Hill-Gibbins said: 

“Alongside the Young Vic, no one has done more to support my development as an artist than the Genesis Foundation. The opportunity, made possible by the Genesis Foundation, to integrate the artistic development of other practitioners into my own process of making work has always been precious to me. I’m delighted to be continuing my relationship with Genesis and to be exploring the creative process, across multiple disciplines, alongside Crispin, Jenny, Leo, Lucy and Rosie – four artists I greatly admire. That freelance artists are able to build their own communities to support and inspire each other, and to actively generate their own experimental work is vital for today’s industry”.      

Read more about the Genesis Foundation Prize

Taio Lawson, the Genesis Foundation’s current Genesis Fellow and associate director at the Young Vic, has been appointed artistic director and co-chief executive of the Bush Theatre. 

Taio will join the organisation and oversee the final season of plays programmed by Lynette Linton, who leaves the theatre this month. 

A trustee for Parents & Carers in the Performing Arts, and a theatremaker who has worked at venues including Sheffield Theatres and the Almeida Theatre, Lawson will lead the Bush with executive director and co-chief executive, Mimi Findlay. 

Taio said: “I am honoured to be stepping into the role of artistic director of the Bush, at a time when the need for enduring original narratives is so important. The Bush is unequalled in its championing of new writing and talent development, as well as being a vital hub for the local diverse community. We will stay committed to welcoming everyone, locally and nationally”. 

The Genesis Fellowship was established in 2010 with the appointment of Joe Hill-Gibbins, followed by Carrie Cracknell, Natalie Abrahami, Gbolahan Obisesan, Nadia Latif and Jennifer Tang.  

Since beginning his fellowship in 2023, Taio has mentored two Genesis Future Directors Award recipients: Annie Kershaw (2024) and Andrea Ling (2023).  

On his Genesis Fellowship, Taio said: “I saw my first play at the Young Vic on a school trip in 2000. Being able to make theatre in the same place I fell in love with the art form is a personal full circle moment”. 

Taio’s tenure at the Young Vic will end this May. 

Read more about the Genesis Fellowship