Press Release: Handel & Hendrix in London announce that they have been awarded a grant of £100,000 by the Wolfson Foundation

Four months before reopening on Thursday, May 18, 2023 (also International Museum Day); Handel & Hendrix in London are pleased to announce today (Tuesday, January 24, 2023) that they have been awarded a grant of £100,000 by the Wolfson Foundation towards the Hallelujah Project.

Handel & Hendrix in London cares for and presents to the public the homes of two of the greatest musicians ever to have lived in London. The £3million project will open all of Handel’s house to the public for the first time by restoring the basement and ground floor and refurbishing the upper floors which were first opened in 2001.

As Simon Daniels, Director of Handel & Hendrix in London commented: “We are thrilled to receive this grant from the Wolfson Foundation, which will help us to present and care for Handel’s home for everyone. The Hallelujah Project is only possible thanks to the support of donors and grant makers. We are hugely grateful to the Foundation’s Trustees and to all our donors for their magnificent support.”

The Wolfson Foundation is an independent charity with a focus on research and education. Its aim is to support civil society by investing in excellent projects in science, health, heritage, humanities and the arts. Since it was established in 1955, some £1 billion (£2 billion in real terms) has been awarded to more than 12,000 projects throughout the UK, all on the basis of expert review. Chief Executive, Paul Ramsbottom said: “We are delighted to support this distinctive project which will not only restore Handel’s house, but will also allow visitors to discover new stories about the two great musicians who called this building home.”

Handel & Hendrix in London closed for the works to take place in September 2021 and will re-open 300 years after Handel first moved in. Tickets will go on sale in April.

 

PRESS INFORMATION

Please contact Rachel Aked Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07790 732448

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

George Frideric Handel lived at 25 Brook Street from 1723 until his death in 1759. It was here that Handel wrote and rehearsed his greatest works, including Messiah. In 1968, Jimi Hendrix moved into an adjoining flat at number 23. Here, in the only place he said he felt truly at home, Hendrix entertained, inspired and collaborated with other icons of British 60s rock music.

Handel & Hendrix in London present these buildings as an evolving celebration of Handel and Hendrix’s lives, sharing their music, their stories and our collections as a source of learning, enjoyment and inspiration for all.

Open to the public since 2001, Handel Hendrix London is a charity (The Handel House Trust, Registered Charity No. 1006009) and an accredited museum. Through visitor admissions, learning programmes, digital, and live performances we share the lives, stories and music of George Frideric Handel and Jimi Hendrix with the widest possible audience.

Supporters of the Hallelujah Project include: the estate of the late Mark Ransom, the Band Trust, the Drapers’ Company, Foyle Foundation, the Steel Charitable Trust, the Michael Uren Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, the Wolfson Foundation and other generous donors.