Lilian Baylis Awards

The Lilian Baylis Awards are made to students from each of the eleven accredited London Drama Schools.

The Awardees are nominated by their drama school – applicants are not considered from individual students.

The awards are dedicated to the memory of Lilian Baylis (1874-1937) who ran The Old Vic Theatre from 1912 until her death. Lilian Baylis committed herself to ensuring that The Old Vic productions, most famously of Shakespeare, were of the highest quality and that the doors were open to many who could not afford the more established theatres. She was an important figure developing The Old Vic National Theatre; Sadler’s Wells Opera, which became the English National Opera; Sadler’s Wells Ballet, which became Birmingham Royal Ballet; and the Royal Ballet School.

The spirit of the Award is to help the student to complete the course without undue financial stress. The cheques are presented at an annual award ceremony in June at The Old Vic Theatre by kind permission of the management.

The student nominated should fulfil all three of the following criteria:

• Promise: The student shows promise which suggests the potential to make a significant contribution to the development of theatre.
• Hardship: The completion of the student’s course is in jeopardy without additional finance.
• Study: Students should have completed two years of a three-year course.