Hegarty Foundation

The Hegarty Foundation, established in 2016 as a UK charity chaired by Sir John Hegarty KBE—a renowned creative director, London College of Communication (LCC) alumnus, and co-founder of Bartle Bogle Hegarty—exists to promote arts education accessibility for UK residents facing financial barriers. Rooted in Hegarty's personal journey, its mission centers on empowering under-represented talent through scholarships, bursaries, and maintenance allowances exclusively at LCC, part of the University of the Arts London (UAL). The foundation's values emphasize fairness, social mobility, and direct impact, fostering diverse future creatives via a trust-based, flexible funding model that removes socioeconomic hurdles.

It funds undergraduate students who have progressed through UAL's Insights programme, targeting Greater London youth from non-university family backgrounds via partner schools and colleges. Annually, it awards £5,000 bursaries to 12 recipients for their first three years, usable flexibly for fees or living costs, aligning tightly with LCC's widening participation strategy to cultivate inclusive art and design cohorts.

Eligibility is highly specific: UK residents selected via the Insights programme only—no open applications or support for organizations, other institutions, or non-LCC students. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, operating without deadlines, public rounds, or trustee meetings for external applicants.

Distinctively ultra-niche, it eschews diversification, focusing solely on multi-year individual bursaries within this single institution and programme. With minimal governance (three unpaid trustees, no staff), it stands out for its personal philanthropy origins, long-term commitment, and rejection of broader causes, prioritizing precise, repetitive support for financially disadvantaged LCC undergraduates.