Objectives and Activities
Objects: the promotion and encouragement of education in history or the arts, primarily but not exclusively in so far as such subjects are associated with the City of York.

Aims and objectives
The Committee's policy is to apply funds in two main areas:
1. The award of essay prizes on subjects within the Charity's objects
2. The provision of financial assistance by way of grants or loans for publications or projects within the objects of the Charity which might otherwise be unable to proceed.

Grant making policies: The Committee's policy is to support publications or projects within the Charity's objects which are unlikely to proceed without the Charity's assistance. Where a publication or project is likely to recover its costs or show a profit, the Charity will normally make an interest-free loan.

Achievements and Performance
In 2007 we offered financial support to:

• York Archaeological Trust, towards the cost of producing a book based on the oral histories of York in World War II.
• J.P.G.Taylor, towards the cost of producing a book of epitaphs
• Yorkshire Architectural and York Archaeological Society, towards the production of York Historian.
• Sir Ron Cooke, towards the costs of publishing a catalogue of an exhibition of paintings of York Minster.
• United Nations Association International Service, towards a children’s art exhibition.

In 2008 we offered grant aid to:

• York Oral History Society, for a project to produce a book and an exhibition relating to Terry’s factory.

Grants offered in 2009 included:

• York Archaeological Trust, for the publication of a work on St Mary’s Abbey and the King’s Manor; and towards publishing an oral history project on secondary schools in York
• York Guilds Mystery Plays Board, to assist in producing the wagon plays in 2010
• York Minster Fabric Rolls Project, to assist with expenses in preparing an edition and translation of these medieval documents.
• The Borthwick Institute for Historical Research, to publish an extended version of the first Sheldon Memorial Trust Lecture.

Sheldon Memorial Trust Lectures

The Trust is promoting a series of lectures on 20th-century individuals who have made a notable contribution to York.

The first of these lectures, entitled Oliver Sheldon, 1894 – 1951, was given by Katherine Webb on 10 April 2008 in the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, York. Such was the interest that it was repeated, on 10 October 2008, at St. Andrew’s Church Hall, Bishopthorpe, York. The lecture has been published, under the title Oliver Sheldon and the Foundations of the University of York, as Borthwick Paper 115 (2009). The Trust gave financial support to this publication, and distributed copies freely to those who had attended the lecture.

The second lecture, Hans Hess OBE, 1907 – 1975, was delivered by John Ingamells, Curator of York Art Gallery 1967-1977, Director of the Wallace Collection, London, 1978-1992, at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall on March 9th 2010. Once again, all tickets were taken for what was a lively and perceptive account, laced with anecdotes gained from personal acquaintance.

Hess, a refugee from Nazi Germany, was Curator of York Art Gallery from 1947 until 1967. Energetic, witty and formidable, he secured the gift of the Lycett Green Collection and transformed a war-damaged building, housing a collection of little more than local interest, into an art gallery of international importance. He played a major part in the cultural life of York for 20 years and was instrumental in making York the northern focus of the Festival of Britain in 1951. The Festival reintroduced the York Cycle of Mystery Plays to a modem audience and made York the home of a successful triennial festival of the arts for almost 40 years.

Further lectures are planned. See lectures page for further information.