Arts funding news
Current funding opportunities available in the arts are listed alphabetically below, divided into the following sections:
Public sector funding
Arts Council England: Unlimited Commissions - Free Advice Session
Unlimited Commissions will support the creation and production of high quality work across all art forms that places disabled and Deaf people at its centre.
Commissions totalling £1.5 million will be awarded to help celebrate the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games across the UK.
Arts Council England is delivering Unlimited Commissions and will be holding an Advice Sessions for diabled artists, disabled and Deaf-led arts organisations and mainstream producers on Tuesday, 22 June at 2pm - 5pm.
There are two remaining deadlines for the commissions. They are:
- 1 October 2010
- 18 April 2011
Please RSVP with any access requirements to Deepa Shastri via email at Unlimited@shapearts.org.uk Telephone: 0845 521 3457 Minicom: 020 7424 7368, SMS: 0762 480 9145.
For more information visit : www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/unlimited
Arts Council England has announced changes to its Grants for the arts programme that will transform the way it serves artists and save on administration costs, which will be reinvested in the arts. The changes will come into effect from March 2010 when central Grants for the arts team, with artform specialisations, will assess and monitor all applications. This will provide an efficient and simplified application process, consistent advice for applicants and considerable administration savings - 23% of the overall administrative savings required by Government in the organisation review.
For the first time artists and arts organisations will be able to apply to Grants for the arts online. This is a major step forward in making the programme more widely accessible and applications as easy as possible. The online process will be simple and user-friendly with drop down guidance to help applicants. The first applications can be submitted online from 1 March 2010.
The new Grants for the arts centre in Manchester will be staffed by highly skilled arts specialists who have a strong knowledge of the arts and close relationships with regional offices. Final decisions will continue to be made by regional offices.
The Arts Council is also simplifying the information required for applications of £10,000 or less. Applicants will be asked for a shorter proposal which will allow a quicker decision, within six weeks.
To ensure that the transition from one way of working to the other is as efficient and seamless as possible Grants for the arts will be suspending new applications between Monday 18 January and Friday 26 February. Decisions will continue to be made throughout the transition period. Applicants who might be planning to submit an application during this time are encouraged to submit earlier or later than they were planning to ensure their applications can be assessed in good time.
Applicants for £10,000 or less may find it is better to submit their applications later and get a quicker decision using the online process.
Private funding and charitable trusts
Promotes outstanding examples of community regeneration and advocates the involvement of community organisations as key partners in developing integrated, holistic programmes of regeneration. It operates Best Practice in the Community Regeneration Awards, and Best Practice in Waterways Development and Regeneration Awards. Eligible projects must display the majority of the following criteria: be community inspired, contribute to the raising of community spirit and improve quality of life, be viable and sustainable, be accountable and respond to local stakeholders and have a track record of success.
Address: 33 Great Sutton Street, London EC1V 0DX
Tel: 0800 0181260
Email: info@bura.org.uk
An independent not-for-profit organisation supported by Channel 4 with at least £500,000 a year to give to film-makers to make documentaries that fall outside the British TV system.
The Foundation team are passionate about documentary and want to work with people who share that passion. The Foundation are looking to back short films, particularly by new filmmakers, feature-length projects with the potential to break through, experimental films, passion projects by established filmmakers, documentaries by artists from other mediums such as photography or art and ambitious development projects.
As well as directly funding films, the Foundation will offer training and arrange mentoring where appropriate to filmmakers, coupled with practical help and advice on how best to ensure that their films get seen by the right people once they are completed.
There are no deadlines. For more details visit the Channel 4 British Documentary Film Foundation website.
The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation makes grants in four areas of interest: arts and heritage, education, environment and social change. See the website for more details.
The Henry Moore Foundation's grant-making programme has been revised to provide additional financial resources to support the work of living artists and contemporary art practice. Special consideration will be given to projects outside London and to venues with limited opportunities to show contemporary art.
Other long-standing categories supporting historic and contemporary sculpture will remain in the programme, including post-doctoral research fellowships assisting outstanding young scholars; exhibitions, providing financial support for established public galleries and agencies towards all aspects of exhibition making in the field, and grants for conferences, workshops and lecture series.
The J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust supports artistic endeavour of the highest possible quality. This includes all forms of visual and performing arts. They are also interested in applications focused on bringing high quality arts to new audiences.
They will also support artistic endeavours aiming to develop the skills and confidence of disadvantaged groups. Examples of the type of work they might consider include music and drama workshops for prisoners and young offenders, and creative writing and media projects for young people living in areas with few youth facilities.
Applications for projects of this type should be made under the relevant Social welfare programme.
Recognising and valuing the contribution made by the arts to the mental and physical health of the nation, The LankellyChase Foundation wish to encourage access to the arts, in particular amongst those who historically have been least able to participate, such as those in rural areas or with special needs. They also wish to support those who aim to realise their artistic ability.
The trustees have four distinct programmes of work guided by the foundation's determination to promote access for those who seek it and personal excellence for those who work for it:
- arts and special needs
- dance
- transgenerational work with communities
- the pursuit of excellence.
In the light of the many problems communities face, the trustees wish to encourage those of different generations to come together through participation in and enjoyment of the arts.
Every year the Lloyds TSB Foundation funds thousands of charities working to tackle disadvantage across England and Wales. Their focus is on supporting small and medium underfunded charities that can make a significant difference to the lives of disadvantaged people by helping them to play a fuller role in the communities of their choice. Their strong local presence enables them to respond directly and promptly to local needs.
O2 are asking the question: if you could change one thing about where you live what would it be? To help make these changes a reality, they are offering awards of between £100 and £1,000 to:
- create a physical improvement that you can touch
- make real, tangible results that you can see
- projects which demonstrate fresh, bold thinking, and is innovative enough to inspire others.
There are four It's Your Community categories:
- Community Places - improving the places communities share - this category aims to reinvigorate community, amenity and recreation areas.
- Community People - helping bring people together - the focus of this category is creating a sense of ownership and social responsibility
- Community Pride - tackling issues head on and restoring a sense of pride
- Community Landscape - improving communities natural environments.
Applications are made online using a form, it should be noted that each page has a time-out limit of 40 minutes.
The Yapp Charitable Trust makes grants of usually up to £3,000 to charities working with people suffering from social disadvantage. These include, the elderly, young people aged 5 to 25 and people with metal health problems and disabilities, etc.
Other funding opportunities
A new guide and application form for small grants in the Creative and Performing Arts is now available form the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The scheme provides support of up to £5,000 to meet the direct costs of research projects, including costs of travel and subsistence, and replacement teaching costs.
A scheme to help small TV production companies bolster the sustainability of their businesses has been launched by Skillset. 40 small to medium sized independent TV production companies will benefit from the Business Growth Opportunity scheme, gaining access to expert consultancy to produce a strategic business plan, financing and funding options master classes, and discounts on training over a 6 to 9 month period.
To be eligible companies must have been in existence for more than two years and had at least one commission. 20 of the companies must be based in London and 20 in the English regions.