The John Feeney Charitable Trust was established by the will of John Feeney (1839-1905). He was the son of the founder of the 'Birmingham Post' and he worked for the newspaper from 1863 until his death and for the last 10 years of his life was its proprietor. He was a collector of pictures and arts objects, a traveller to many countries and a benefactor of Birmingham Art Gallery. He had a deep interest in the life of Birmingham and was a generous contributor to its hospitals, its University and its many charitable institutions. The Trustees use the trust fund to further those causes that John Feeney supported during his lifetime and the trust has commissioned works from leading composers since 1955 and these are first performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under its Principal Conductors and other guests and sometimes the composers themselves.
From the guide to the Feeney Commission Scores, 1955-2011, (University of Birmingham, Cadbury Research Library: Special Collections)
