Supporting innovation +
excellence in
contemporary arts
About the
Foundation
The Richard Thomas Foundation was established in 2009 to commission innovative and interesting works of contemporary performance art, and to support an ongoing programme of performances, recordings and exhibitions in London, Berlin, and elsewhere.
So far the Foundation has commissioned or supported 29 composers from 13 countries; created or supported 18 recordings; and supported or promoted over 40 concerts. Many of the pieces we have commissioned continue to be performed all over the world, and some have won awards. Over 35,000 people have so far attended concerts to hear music we have helped commission.
The Foundation owns a record company, Junk Ibu Limited, with two labels: Junk Ibu for contemporary music releases; and RTF Classical for modern chamber music releases.
Recent News
New Commission: Nathan James Dearden
RTF is supporting, with the Pride Network (BNP Paribas Banking), a new song cycle by award winning composer Nathan James Dearden, due to premiere in August 2023. (10/22) Photo: Catrin Arwel
Spatial Sound: Concertgebouw
Three spatial works made in 4DSOUND and supported by the Foundation will be performed at Aural Spaces in Amsterdam Concertgebouw between 16 and 18 December - by Echo Collective, Rakhi Singh, and Casimir Geelhoed. (10/22)
espaço agora now
We are supporting this ambitious new project to create an international network of large scale spaces hosting residencies for performance artists, with plans to open in Rotterdam, Lisbon, Buenos Aires, Belgrade and London by 2024 . Details here. (9/22)
Spatial Sound: Casimir Geelhoed
The foundation has given a grant to Casimir Geelhoed to support the creation of Scatter, Swarm, Sublimate, a composition for spatial sound to be premiered in Berlin in November at MONOM's Spatial Festival . (08/22)
Concert Series: MONOM Berlin
We are helping Brussels based Echo Collective (Neil Leiter, Margaret Hermant and Fabien Leseure) to create and perform a new composition in spatial sound at MONOM on 9th July 2022. Echo Collective have worked previously with the Foundation on recording and performing...
Premiere: Gavin Higgins at Aldeburgh
The Piatti Quartet, David Cohen and Sara Roberts will be playing the world premiere of Gavin Higgins' RTF commission "Ekstasis" at the Aldeburgh Festival on 18th June 2022. Tickets available here (06/22)
Concert series: MONOM Berlin
We are helping violinist Rakhi Singh create and perform a spatialised violin and electronics concert at MONOM on 11th June 2022. Works include "Lad" by Julia Wolfe, originally for 9 bagpipes, and compositions by composers Edmund Finnis, Alex Groves, Emily Hall, and...
Premiere: Kali Malone at Orgelpark
Kali will be playing the world premiere of the first part of her RTF organ commission on the Van Straten Organ at Het Orgelpark, Amsterdam on 10th June 2022. Tickets available here (05/22)
Our first decade
We’ve just filed our 10th annual report. Over the last decade we’ve helped 27 composers from 12 countries create new pieces of music; made 51 grants totalling £370,000; spent £60,000 on performances of new works at over 40 concerts; and recorded and released 18...