The William Fletcher Foundation, established in 2006

(formerly The William Fletcher Trust, established in 1985)

The William Fletcher Foundation is a charitable Foundation listed on the Register of Cultural Organizations. As such, it has Australian Taxation Office endorsement as a taxation deductible gift recipient and as an income tax exempt charitable entity. (ACN 121 495 341)

The objects of the Foundation are to promote Fletcher’s work, to assist the development and advancement of young talented artists in need and to further the cause of art education in New South Wales.  

The first object has been mainly the responsibility of Trevor Andersen, Fletcher’s friend and the executor of his estate, involving authorship of an illustrated monograph on the artist’s life and work (William Fletcher 1983) and the founding of the Trust (1985). Donations from the founder and other individuals, sales at exhibitions and art auctions, together with royalties have provided the original source of the Foundation’s capital.

Examples of these are: the posthumous exhibitions held in 1983, 1985, 1987 and 2006; the National Trust’s use of Fletcher illustrations on three greeting cards; John Sands printing of a limited edition 12 illustration calendar for 1991 distributed on a world-wide corporate basis, and a 1992 calendar for general retail. Apart from continued donations from the founder, donations from generous private individuals have added to this healthy growth, which should continue from all the sources above. The Foundation continues to explore other ways of augmenting its capital.

Miss Eula Guthrie AO, Trust Chairman since May 2003, presents a grant to Minyo Weight, Newcastle University November 2003.

The second object has been orientated to final year "fine arts" students in tertiary institutions in New South Wales. Currently, the following are involved: College of Fine Arts (University of NSW), National Art School, Design Faculty of the National School of Dramatic Art; Southern Cross University, Sydney College of the Arts (University of Sydney), University of Newcastle (both Fine Arts and Natural History Illustration) and the University of Wollongong .

Only applicants who demonstrate outstanding quality in their submitted works and academic records, together with a case for financial assistance, are awarded grants. In 2009, twenty six grants totalling $22,000 were awarded .

By 2009, the Foundation (formerly the William Fletcher Trust) has distributed $238,500 to 336 students. In several cases the grants have enabled talented students who would have “dropped out” because of financial hardship, to finish their studies. An archive of grants is presented in the Grantees section of the web site

The William Fletcher Foundation is now on a firm footing. In 2005-6, the Foundation received an unexpected yet welcome bequest from the estate of Dr M. Matheson Lines of Mosman. This guarantees the continued real value of the current awards.

Furthermore, in mid 2010, The Foundation will announce an exciting new biennial scholarship for an outstanding emerging artist, worth over $A25,000.

 

The Founder of the William Fletcher Trust Trevor Andersen (left), with the Founding Chairman, Mr Ken Tribe A.C. (Patron since 2003), his wife Joan, and Trust Treasurer, Robin Wines (right). The occasion was a Musica Viva Concert in February 2004 to celebrate Ken's 90th birthday.