An Isle of Man charity supporting talented young people in the arts has passed the £500,000 mark in funding since its formation in 2018.

Arts Aid has announced its 2026/27 awards, with £85,300 being distributed among 17 students pursuing studies in music, drama, dance, fine art, design and related disciplines.

Now in its ninth year, the charity supports exceptionally talented students from the island to study at specialist institutions in the UK.

This year’s recipients include Kasia Ashton, who will study musical theatre at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Sebastian Sgouraditis, who will study vocal performance at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and Ophelia Watts, who will study music at the University of Cambridge.

Other recipients include Daniel Lawrie, Hannah Kermode, Grace Pope, Josie Laisney, Evie Skillicorn, Eve Puzzar, Lucia Prince, Ealish Creer, Sam Hills-Field, Maeve Wilson, Lula Thomas, Lowenna Joughin, Joshua Mooney and Skyler Aitchison.

The students will attend institutions including ArtsEd, Mountview Academy, the London School of Musical Theatre, Bath Spa University, the Royal Northern College of Music, Glasgow School of Art and London Contemporary Dance School.

Arts Aid chairman Mark Denton said the cost of studying away from home could be a ‘major obstacle’ for students attending specialist institutions.

He said: ‘Arts Aid seeks to ensure that no one with exceptional talent in their area of the arts should be prevented from pursuing their goal for financial reasons. We are immensely proud that this year our awards have passed such a significant milestone.’

‘The growth of Arts Aid demonstrates the generosity of our supporters and the ambition of our young people.’

The charity thanked its sponsors and supporters, including the Elizabeth Clucas Charitable Trust, J R Moore Charitable Trust, Gough Richie Charitable Trust and Co-op Community Fund.

Arts Aid is independent and receives no funding or support from the Isle of Man Arts Council or Isle of Man Government.