Arts Council EnglandGrants for the arts

Adrienne Hart taking part in Dance SCAPES project, SwindonPhoto: Kevin Clifford

Eddie ThomasSenior Manager, Grants for the arts

This session

• Grants landscape

• Arts Council England

• Grants for the arts

• Any questions

Grants

What is a grant

• Financial backing for a not for profit project, awarded through a competitive application process and paid back by furthering the grantor aims Eddie Thomas, 2012

Who are they, how do you find them?

• Government grants

o (International, national, regional)

o Lottery distributors

• Trusts and foundations

• Identify your need - don’t trawl for cash

• Desk research – web search & dedicated databases

– DCMS web site is a good start (money map)

Common themes

• Funder purposes (not financial)

• Competitive process

• Eligibility & Criteria

• Match funding

• Profits not allowed

• Ethics and good practice

• Project not Revenue funding

• You don’t repay in money

(Not yet anyway)

• The process improves you

Some pointers

• Consider partners (can you be a partner)

• Timing is everything – apply early!

• Try to make personal contact

• If you are not committed don’t apply

Arts Council England

Great Art for Everyone

• National development agency for the Arts in England

• Government body – at arms length

• 9 regional offices (currently restructuring)

– Relationship Managers

• 2011 – 2015 will invest £2.4 billion in the arts

– National Portfolio

– Strategic funds

– Grants for the arts

Grants for the arts

Grants for the arts background

•Open access – rolling programme (reactive)

– Anyone, anything, any time

•Around £60m a year awarded (£1k - £100k)

– 2,681 awards in 2011 (43% success rate)

• Competitive process

• 6 or 12 week turnaround

• online application

Who does it fund?

• Individuals– artists, performers, promoters, presenters, curators, producers,

writers, individuals or groups of individuals working in, or with, the arts

– £1,000 to £30,000 normally awarded - average £10,000

• Organisations– local authorities, public organisations, partnerships, collectives,

organisations whose activity is not arts-related, including voluntary and community groups

– £1,000 to £100,000 – average £33,000

Who does it not fund?

• organisations that are able to share out profits to members or

shareholders UNLESS the activity you are applying for is a

self-contained arts project and has a clear benefit to the public

• students, for activities related to their course of study

• Educational establishments where the activity does not provide benefits to the wider community or artists

• Applicants based (living) outside the European Union

What does it fund - ARTS RELATED ACTIVITIES

• projects and events

• commissions and productions

• research and development

• Participatory activities

• audience development

• marketing activities

• Assets

– Equipment

– Instruments

– vehicles

• public art

• professional development

• bursaries

• fellowships

• organisational development

• residencies

• touring & national activities

– £10k - £200k

What does it not fund?

• self-promotional activities ?

• retrospective stuff • On-going overheads ?• activities with no public benefit

• film or video not supporting artistic work

• activities not arts-related

• activities outside England (some exceptions)

• statutory provision (such as in education)

Making an application

The assessment process

Offer Reject

ContractGrant monitoring

ContractGrant monitoring

FeedbackFeedback

Assessment – the 4 criteria

• It is an EVIDENCE based assessment

• The criteria we use

– Quality (You and your work)

– Public engagement

– Management

– Finance

(there are also some overview scores)

Budget headlines example

Income from your activity Expenditure for your activity

Ticket sales 1,500 Artistic spend 5,000Merchandise 500

Organisational development 1,000Trusts and foundations 2,750

Marketing 3,000Sponsorship 500

Overheads 1,000Own resources 500

Assets 750

Total income from others 5,750

Other spending 0

Amount from ACE 5,000

Total income 10,750 Total expenditure 10,750

Support in kind 3,000

Final points

• Grants should be on your horizon for project funding

• Align your need with the fund aims and criteria

• Source quality partners

• Prepare an evidence based application using criteria

• Get match funding

• Apply early and prepare for rejection

• If successful

– Do a good job!!

– Keep funder informed of changes

• If unsuccessful - Listen to feedback!!

Any questions ?- Eddie Thomas

- Arts Council England (grants for the arts)

- www.artscouncil.org.uk

- There is a lot of information on our web site!

- Enquiries team 0845 300 6200

www.artscouncil.org.uk