Arts funding
This page provides information on various places you can apply for funding to support your arts project.
Local Funding
Winchester City Council (www.winchester.gov.uk/grants)
Not-for-profit organisations can apply for up to £1,000 through a Town Forum or District Grant.
Hampshire County Council (www.hants.gov.uk/community/grants/grants-funds-list?filter=.Culture-Communities-and-Business-Services)
Hampshire County Council offer a range of grants for various priorities across the county. Check their website for the latest information.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation (https://www.hiwcf.org.uk/grants/)
The Foundation supports local giving and local commitment – bringing together local donors to support local communities to meet local needs. Check their website for the latest information.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner (https://www.hampshire-pcc.gov.uk/safer-together/funding)
The Commissioner provides regular opportunities to bid for grant funding for projects which achieve the PCC’s vision and improve community safety.
National Funding
Arts Council England (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/our-open-funds)
Arts Council England offer various funding opportunities. The most common include National Lottery Project grants which support specific project ideas and Developing Your Creative Practice grants which support the development of independent cultural and creative practitioners.
The Arts Society (theartssociety.org/grants)
All grants from The Arts Society are intended to give access to the arts to those that wouldn't normally have access to them. Focus areas are: Young Arts, Skills Development and supporting regional museums, galleries and arts organisations.
Baring Foundation (https://baringfoundation.org.uk/programme/arts-and-mental-health/)
The Baring Foundation is one of the UK’s best known independent funders. From 2020 the Foundation will focus its arts funding on activity with people with mental health problems.
The BRIT Trust (https://brittrust.co.uk/funding/)
The Brit Trust considers all applications that meet the criteria within its mission statement "improving lives through the power of music and creative arts."
The British Film Institute (BFI) (https://www.bfi.org.uk/get-funding-support)
The BFI provides a wide range of funding and schemes to champion diverse, bold and distinctive filmmaking and nurture new talent.
Clore Duffield Foundation (www.cloreduffield.org.uk)
The Clore Duffield Foundation is a grant-making charity which supports charities and organisations across the United Kingdom. Funding is focused on cultural learning, the creation of learning spaces within arts and heritage organisations, leadership training, and enhancing Jewish life. Support registered charities in the UK.
The Elephant Trust (https://www.elephanttrust.org.uk/guidelines)
The Elephant Trust offers grants of up to £2,000, priority is given to artists in the fine arts and small organisations and galleries who should submit well argued, imaginative proposals for making or producing new work or exhibitions.
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation (www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk)
The Foundation support projects which support 'Creative, Confident Communities', often offering multi-year support.
The Fenton Arts Trust (www.fentonartstrust.org.uk/)
Grants are available to support individual works, activities, performances or prizes in any field of artistic endeavour including drama, painting, sculpture, dance, music, poetry and architecture. An application may come from a group, company or institution or from an individual so long as the application does not involve support of an individual’s education or initial professional training.
The Foyle Foundation (www.foylefoundation.org.uk/main-grants-scheme-arts)
The Foundation make small one-year grants, to cover core costs, projects, essential equipment or building projects. Larger amounts are available but require additional stages to the application process.
Garfield Weston Foundation (https://garfieldweston.org/what-we-support/arts/)
The Foundation support organisations that delight and inspire audiences across the UK. From small community theatre groups to national art galleries, the Foundation has long supported the nation’s cultural life. The Foundation make both Revenue and Capital grants to organisations that engage with a variety of audiences and that can demonstrate their impact and quality.
The Hedley Foundation (http://www.hedleyfoundation.org.uk/apply-now)
The Foundation fund projects which raise the aspirations or help to realise the full potential of disadvantaged young people. Typically, grants are made to broaden the horizons of young people through sport, adventurous activities, education, the arts, training or sustainable employment.
Idlewild Trust (www.idlewildtrust.org.uk)
The Trust support charities that improve opportunities for professionals working creatively within the arts at an early stage in their career.
Music for All (musicforall.org.uk/apply-for-funding/)
Music for All offer grants to individuals and community projects which address the musical needs of community music groups and educational organisations. The grants have specific focuses which change regularly.
The National Lottery Community Fund (https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes)
The National Lottery Community Fund has a critical role to play in supporting communities to unleash their energy and potential so they can get to where they want to be. For grants between £300 - £500,000 check the website for the latest programmes.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund (https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/funding)
Heritage can be anything from the past that you value and want to pass on to future generations. Grant funding for heritage projects from £3,000 up to millions of pounds.
Paul Hamlyn Foundation (www.phf.org.uk)
The Foundation are looking to partner with inspiring organisations and individuals to make sure that people facing disadvantage are at the heart of leading change and designing solutions to overcome inequality.
People's Postcode Lottery (https://www.postcodesocietytrust.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant/)
Funds are focused on charities and good causes in the south of England.
PRS Foundation (https://prsfoundation.com/funding-support/)
PRS have many initiatives that provide financial support for the creation, performance, and/or promotion of outstanding music.
The Rayne Foundation (https://www.raynefoundation.org.uk/)
The Foundation fund creative ways of tackling entrenched social issues through the arts, health, wellbeing, and education. They support projects that can be replicated and led by people with vision, focusing on projects which support Young People's mental health, use the arts as a tool for social change and improve quality of life for older people and carers.
Take it Away (takeitaway.org.uk/)
Take it Away provide interest free loans for the purchase of musical instruments equipment, software and tuition.
Trusthouse Charitable Foundation (www.trusthousecharitablefoundation.org.uk)
The Foundation fund work which addresses the challenges of local communities in areas of extreme deprivation. The criteria are regularly reviewed and decided by the Trustees.
Tudor Trust (https://tudortrust.org.uk/what-we-do)
The Trust fund a wide range of organisations working to support positive changes in people’s lives and in their communities around the UK.
The Wingate Foundation (www.wingatefoundation.org.uk/)
The Foundation support activity which creates a significant impact on individuals and/or communities, and leaves a lasting legacy with focus areas including performing arts and music.
The Wolfson Foundation ( www.wolfson.org.uk/funding/arts-and-humanities)
Funding for capital infrastructure, i.e. buildings (new build or refurbishments) and equipment. These awards support excellence across the following fields: education; science & medicine; the arts & humanities; health & disability.
Universal Music UK Sound Foundation (https://www.umuksoundfoundation.com/)
The Foundation’s aim is to improve access to music education in the UK & Ireland through bursaries and grants to purchase instruments and equipment.
Youth Music (network.youthmusic.org.uk/i-need-funding)
A national charity investing in music-making projects for children and young people (aged 0-25) experiencing challenging circumstances
Many Supermarkets also have community funds which charities and not-for profit groups can apply to benefit from: ASDA Asda.com Co-Op https://causes.coop.co.uk/ Tesco Tesco Community Grants Sainsbury's Community and partnerships – Sainsbury's (sainsburys.co.uk) Morrisons Grant Funding Request | Morrisons Foundation
Focussed on sport activity? Energise Me have a great list of funders: https://www.energiseme.org/funding-support/finding-funding/