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In 1998 the Alexandra Palace
Television Society received a donation of over 1200
negatives from Neil Campbell, the son of Desmond
Campbell, the "father" of
television lighting. The cost of having the entire
collection printed was far in excess of the financial
resources of the APTS.
In March this year Simon Vaughan,
Archivist of APTS submitted an application to the
Royal
Television Society for the
Shiers Trust Grant for 2001. Following the decision process
by the RTS, in June 2001 the APTS received the news that it
had been awarded £2340 to cover the cost of the
negative printing.
George Shiers, a distinguished US
television historian, was a long-standing member of the
Royal Television Society. Before his death in 1983, he and
his wife May provided for a bequest in their wills. The
Shiers Trust Grant, now in its third year, is worth
£2000.
Trustees may decide to award the grant
to one or several projects or withhold the grant on years
when no applications are made, thus providing a larger sum
for future years. Grants are considered and approved by the
Trustees who may, at their discretion, consult with
appropriate experts to assist their decisions. In assessing
priorities, the Trustees take into account the sums of money
available.
Projects submitted must be consistent
with the objects of the Trust which are summarised
below:
Objects
- The advancement of public
education in all aspects of the history, science,
practice, technology and art of television, without
regard to the country of origin, by such means as shall
appear most effective to the Trustees.
- The promotion of public education
through the study and research of the history of
television, including the development and encouragement
of publications and associated projects such as
bibliographies and monographs on particular aspects,
provided that the results of such study and research
shall be published and that the contribution made by the
Trust shall be suitable acknowledgement in any such
publication.
- The provision of assistance and
advice in the promotion of the preservation and
presentation to the public, of artefacts and materials
related to the history of television.
Criteria
- Grants will be given to assist in
the completion of new or unfinished projects, work or
literature specific to the objects of the Trust. The word
'literature' is defined as including not only print but
audio-visual media such as CD-Rom and websites.
- The Trustees must be satisfied
that the work they are supporting either could not be
finished or published without the grant and that with it,
the work will be completed, or, the grant will provide
for the initial phase of a project which will be
continued and completed with other identified
funding.
- Applications will be considered
broadly in support of research, development, writing,
editing or publication. Grants for research will require
that the results of the work will be made known and
accessible through appropriate means. In the case of
literature, projects must have a real prospect of
publication. Applicants must demonstrate that their work
will have a clear expectation of making a significant
contribution to the objects of the Trust.
- Applicants will be required to
satisfy the Trustees of the soundness of their projects,
and identify any grants from other sources.
- The Trustees will not make
commitments to support recurring funding, nor make grants
to cover the fees or maintenance of students undertaking
courses.
- Completed work must acknowledge
the financial support of the Shiers Trust.
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