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The Big Give Christmas Challenge

The Big Give Christmas Challenge raises record sum for RCM Scholarships Fund

Thursday 25 March 2021

The 2020 Big Give Christmas Challenge resulted in a record £131,594 raised for the Royal College of Music Scholarships Fund. The funds far exceeded the RCM’s target of £120,000 and will contribute to supporting young musicians in their studies at one of the world’s top conservatoires.

The Big Give Christmas Challenge is the UK’s biggest match funding campaign, with 2020 marking the RCM’s tenth year of involvement. The campaign ran from Tuesday 1 December, known as #GivingTuesday, until Tuesday 8 December 2020. During that week, any gift from £1 to £25,000 made to the Royal College of Music via the Big Give was matched up to a total of £60,000.

This year the fundraising target was set higher than ever, with the aim of supporting even more young musicians through the RCM Scholarships Fund. The generosity of the RCM community meant that fundraising exceeded this target, with £122,896 raised plus £10,335 in Gift Aid.

The Scholarships Fund enables gifted music students from all over the world and from all backgrounds to access tuition provided by the very best professors, utilise unrivalled facilities and take advantage of the exceptional opportunities offered by the RCM, rated top institution for performing arts in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2016–21).

Philanthropy has always played an important role in the Royal College of Music's history. The RCM remains committed to its founding principle: that those with talent should have the opportunity to study with us, regardless of their means. This is especially critical in the current context of the coronavirus pandemic, which has left a considerable number of RCM students in severe financial hardship.

Founded by entrepreneur and philanthropist Sir Alec Reed, the Big Give Christmas Challenge helps UK registered charities raise thousands of pounds for their causes. Since the Big Give launched the campaign in 2008, the Christmas Challenge has raised over £118 million for thousands of charity projects.

For further information on supporting the RCM Scholarships Fund, please contact Marianna Raatikainen, Supporter Engagement Officer, on 020 7591 4862 or at marianna.raatikainen@rcm.ac.uk.