The OAE Benevolent Fund is a separate charity, independent of the OAE. The OAE’s musicians are self-employed, meaning that if our players have to withdraw from an engagement, for example due to illness or injury, they do not receive any compensation.

The Benevolent Fund helps players in such situations. It supports the OAE’s freelance musicians and provides a crucial safety net, awarding grants to players for lost income from OAE engagements. Since it was set up 25 years ago,the Fund has made over 50 grants to players, with an average value of £1,200 per grant.

As you might expect for a player-led orchestra such as the OAE, the Benevolent Fund was an initiative of the players themselves, as a way to support each other through difficult circumstances. Being a musician has always been a risky business, and in the early years the OAE was not yet as established an organisation as it is today. The Benevolent Fund ensured that this risk was shared between the players of the OAE, and that they would receive compensation for lost work if they needed it.

As you might expect for a player-led orchestra such as the OAE, the Benevolent Fund was an initiative of the players themselves, as a way to support each other through difficult circumstances. For the last 25 years, the Benevolent Fund has been largely funded by the players themselves. Players would contribute to the Fund through donations, stipends, and by regularly waiving their fees at nominated concerts in support of the Fund.

However, given the difficulties faced by musicians over the past years and the amount of cancelled work and lost earnings, it is no longer sustainable for the players to keep the fund going themselves. We are now asking our Friends, Patrons, and audience members to support the Benevolent Fund directly to ensure that this important safety net can continue.