Margaret Killbery Foundation

The Margaret Killbery Foundation, established by the family of educator Margaret Killbery, advances access to and participation in the arts, with primary emphasis on music, to enrich young lives and foster cultural engagement. Core values prioritize equity in arts education, inclusive music making, and cultural enrichment for youth lacking opportunities, driven by a philosophy of transformative personal development through high-quality creative experiences. They champion family-led stewardship, strategic partnerships, and lasting impact via projects catalyzing deep creative growth, empowerment, and social inclusion for underserved young people.

They fund arts education initiatives including music training and coaching programmes for young people aged 5-25 from diverse, low-access backgrounds, inclusive youth orchestral programmes enabling collaborative music making and skill-building, creative development schemes like extended training for aspiring young artists in performance and composition, direct music education delivery through enriched after-school and community sessions, provision of instruments, facilities, and teaching resources for hands-on arts participation, and cultural enrichment activities promoting emotional expression, confidence, and peer connection via creative arts. Interventions target barriers to arts access, supporting free, community-led music experiences that build resilience, personal development, and inclusive pathways, with emphasis on holistic growth through therapeutic music engagement, orchestral ensemble work, and innovative creative programmes addressing isolation and opportunity gaps for urban youth facing socioeconomic challenges.

They exclude funding for individuals, non-arts causes, or projects outside music and arts education remits, focusing solely on registered charities delivering public-benefit arts access. Distinctive priorities include young people from underrepresented ethnic minorities and disadvantaged urban communities in Greater London, valuing grassroots organizations with proven inclusive models, free beneficiary access, and evidence of transformative youth outcomes. Unique family governance emphasizes high-impact partnerships fostering lifelong creative passion over broad social services.