Dave: Good question - thanks for the prompt - I'll put some more explanation on my website. Five minutes work on google and in the chariy commission website brought up all three of the organisations you mentioned and the OBJECTS of the main or subsidiary charities are as follows - lifted from the CC website. People in the folk world are already looking into a similar arrangement for Sidmouth - but without the Royal, maybe?? The present arrangement (as a professionally run business)prevents Arts Council funding : see my page folk18.htm (so far as I recall it is 18) for a brief discussion.

ROYAL OPERA HOUSE.::TO PROMOTE AND ASSIST IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION SO FAR AS SUCH PROMOTION AND ASSISTANCE SHALL BE OF A CHARITABLE NATURE AND IN PARTICULAR, TO RAISE THE ARTISTIC TASTE OF THE COUNTRY, AND TO PROCURE AND INCREASE THE APPRECIATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE MUSICAL ART IN ALL ITS FORMS. (SEE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

ROYAL SHAKESPEARE.:: TO KEEP ALIVE THE MEMORY OF SHAKESPEARE BY THE PRESENTATION OF HIS PLAYS. (SEE ALSO ARTICLE II OF THE CHARTER OF INCORPORATION).

ROYAL BALLET (SCHOOL).:: THE PRIMARY OBJECT IS TO CONDUCT AND MAINTAIN THE SCHOOL IN ALL RESPECTS AS A CHARITY, AND TO APPLY THE PROPERTY AND INCOME OF THE SCHOOL FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES ONLY. FURTHER OBJECTS ARE (I) TO CONDUCT A SCHOOL FOR THE EDUCATION OF BOYS AND GIRLS IN THE BALLET, AND FOR PROVIDING SCHOLASTIC EDUCATION FOR SUCH OF THE SAID BOYS AND GIRLS AS ARE BY LAW REQUIRED TO RECEIVE SUCH EDUCATION; (II) TO RECEIVE, EDUCATE AND TRAIN STUDENTS IN BALLET, DRAMA, DANCING, SINGING, MUSIC AND OTHER ARTS. (FOR FULL DETAILS SEE CLAUSE 4 OF MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION)