Bicycle Bell Orchestra Gets Grant

Posted by Sarah Canice Funke Aug 25, 2008

The UK lottery fund Awards for All lived up to its name by awarding a grant even to a most unusual group: the Bicycle Belles Orchestra. This group of 30 musicians performs original works for bells and horns, often practicing outdoors. According to Anna Carey, a Bicycle Belles co-founder, these practices are often a great hit: "Our outdoor rehearsals often turn into impromptu concerts as people stop to listen on the promenade."

The bicycle bell players received £1,377, or approximately $2,500 USD, which will go toward turning these happenstance rehearsals into four public performances around Brighton.

The money will also be put to educational uses, as well. The Bicycle Belles Orchestra plans to run workshops at schools and step up recruitment to the orchestra.

The small grant is set to help this group achieve some good, all-around growth: not only should the funds help the Bicycle Belles Orchestra grow its audience, but the money will also strengthen its membership and the ensemble's relationships with schools.

Awards for All, which is the small grants program of the Big Lottery Fund head of the South East region, gave out over £450,000 (over $830,000 USD) in grants to 62 groups in total.

For more information, please read the BBC News article.