Open arts funding schemes

The Adnams Community Trust

The Adnams Community Trust awards grants to worthy causes, for the benefit of those living within a 25-mile radius of Southwold. Grants range from £100 to £2,500 and must be for specific items. They are only awarded to organisations, not directly to individuals, and must be spent within one year.

Grants are made in the following areas: Education, Health & Social Welfare, The Arts, Recreation, Buildings & Community Facilities, The Environment/Conservation, History.

Grants are awarded by the board of Trustees four times a year, in January, April, July and October. Get more information on the Adnams website.

Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation

This Foundation aims to promote culture, heritage and the arts for the public benefit. Priority will be given to projects that enable people to develop skills and careers in heritage and in all areas of the performing arts (music, dance and drama) but other areas will be considered.

Funding is at the discretion of the Trustees. Not-for-profit organisations, including charities, companies and community trusts, based and operating within the UK, are eligible to apply. Get more information on the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation website.

Arts Council England: National Lottery project grants

This is an open-access programme for arts, museums and libraries projects (arts projects taking place in libraries). Grants of between £1,000 and £100,000 are available.

Individuals and organisations can apply. The funding can support projects lasting up to a maximum of three years. Get more information on the National Lottery project grants on the Arts Council website.

Arts Council England: Developing your creative practice fund

This fund is designed to support independent creative practitioners. Individual artists and/or creative practitioners in England can apply for between £2,000 and £10,000 , to take a dedicated period of time to focus on their own creative development and propel them to the next stage in their practice. Get deadlines and more information on the Developing your creative practice fund on the Arts Council website.

Arts and Culture Fund for North Norfolk 

North Norfolk District Council's Arts and Culture Fund offers grants of up to £3,500 to voluntary and community organisations, town and parish councils, whose project is based within north Norfolk with the aim to improve health and wellbeing of North Norfolk residents through active participation and engagement. Arts and Culture is considered to be activities, services or events which relate to the participation and active engagement with visual, literary and performing arts. The Fund is available for projects that predominately support the health and wellbeing of North Norfolk residents.

Applications for an Arts and Culture grant will be assessed 3 times a year with the deadline for applications being the last Friday of June, October and February. Decisions on completed applications received will be made by delegated authority within 4 weeks of the deadline date. Get more information on the North Norfolk District Council website.

Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust

This Trust offers grants to registered charities working in the UK for: schemes or bursaries for classical music education, conservation and crafts training, education projects in museums, the theatre and poetry and conservation of endangered historic artefacts, the natural heritage environment or historic or natural collections.

Funding is at the discretion of the Trustees, most grants are between £1,000 and £3,500.

Applications can be received at any time but must be received by 15 March or 15 September to be considered at the April or October meeting. The Trust does not have a website. To get more information contact Denise Gardiner, email: denise@bwct.org

Basil Samuel Charitable Trust

UK registered charities can apply for grants to support projects for medical needs, social care, education and cultural activities.

Funding is available at the discretion of the Trustees. Most grants are in the range of £1,000 to £5,000.

This Trust does not have a website. Applications must be made in writing, contact:

Basil Samuel Charitable Trust
c/o Smith and Williamson
25 Moorgate
London
EC2R 6AY

Tel: 020 7131 4376

BFI Production and Development funding

The British Film Institute (BFI) provides funding for film development and production. It champions new talent and unfamiliar stories from unfamiliar voices. It is passionate about projects that reach new audiences and backs the international promotion of the UK industry.

Get more information on the British Film Institute website

BlueSpark Foundation

This Foundation is a registered charity which supports the education and development of children and young people by providing grants for educational, cultural, sporting and other projects.

BlueSpark provides funds for relatively small-scale projects which might not happen at all or would only happen on a smaller scale without the support of BlueSpark. Many of the grants we make are under £2,000 and none are more than £5,000. Applications can be submitted at any time. Get more information on the BlueSpark Foundation website

Charles Hayward Foundation

Grants are available to UK registered charities for projects in the following categories: heritage and conservation, social and criminal justice, overseas and older people.

The Foundation offers small grants of up to £7,000 and main grants between £10,000 - £50,000. Get more information on the Charles Hayward Foundation website

National Lottery Communities Fund

The National Lottery Communities Fund provides a range of funding programmes for community projects. Get more information on the National Lottery Communities Fund website

Dance and Drama Awards (DADA)

You could get a Dance and Drama Award (DaDA) to help with fees and living costs at one of 16 private dance and drama schools. Apply direct to the dance and drama school you want to go to and tell them you want to apply for a DaDA. You must be aged 16 to 23 and show talent and a likelihood to succeed in the industry. The amount you get depends on your household income and where you live and study. Get more information on the GOV.UK website

D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust

Grants are available for UK registered charities working in the UK in the areas of the arts, health and medical welfare and improvement or protection of the environment.
The Trust makes grants which are usually in the range £500 - £6,000 and there are three grant-making meetings held annually which normally take place in March, July, and November. Get more information on the D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust website

East Coast Community Fund

Grants are available to local not-for-profit groups, parish and town councils, and local authorities for community projects that benefit the coastal communities of the Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and North Norfolk coasts. To be eligible to apply for a grant your project must be located, and be for the benefit of communities, within the funding area.

Grants from £1,000 up to £50,000 are available. There are two application rounds each year in February and July. Get more information on the Grantscape website

The Elephant Trust

Grants are available to artists, small organisations and galleries within the UK to make it possible for artists and those presenting their work to undertake and complete projects when frustrated by lack of funds.

Grants are usually limited to £2,000, but larger grants up to £5,000 may be considered. There are normally four deadlines each year. Get more information on the Elephant Trust website

The February Foundation

Grants are available to UK registered charities for a range of charitable projects, particularly the relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage; and for the advancement of education and of the arts, culture, and heritage.

Funding is at the discretion of the trustees but the average award is £5,000. Applications will be accepted at any time. Get more information on the February Foundation website

Fidelio Charitable Trust

Grant funding to help individuals (over the age of 21) and groups of exceptional ability in the UK that would not otherwise be able to carry out an artistic project or activity without financial support. Applicants must be recommended by an appropriate person in an institution, college, arts festival or other arts organisation that can vouch for their abilities.

The Trust welcomes applications in support of the Arts, particularly for Music, including Opera, Lieder, Composition and Dance.

For application deadlines and to get more information go to the Fidelio Charitable Trust website

Foyle Foundation Small Grants Programme

Through its Small Grants Programme, grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 are available to smaller charities in the UK, especially those working at grass roots and local community level, in any field, across a wide range of activities. Applicants will need to demonstrate that the grant will make a significant difference to their work. Applications can be made at any time. Get more information on the Foyle Foundation website

Garfield Weston Foundation

This Foundation helps small, local community organisations and covers a wide range of charitable activity, including: education, arts, health, environment, community, youth, religion and welfare.
Get more information on the Garfield Weston Foundation website

Golsoncott Foundation

Grants are available to voluntary sector organisations in the UK for projects that promote fine arts and music.

Grants vary but they are unlikely to exceed £3,000. Get more information on the Golsoncott Foundation website

Henry Moore Foundation

Henry Moore Grants support the growth and development of sculpture across historical, modern and contemporary registers, and funds research that expands the appreciation of sculpture. Grants support exhibitions, exhibition catalogues, commissions, conferences, research, publications and the development of collections through acquisitions, conservation, cataloguing and display.

Get application deadlines and more information on the Henry Moore Foundation website

The Hinrichsen Foundation

Funding is principally concerned with providing support for the performance of contemporary music, which may include commissioning of new work, non-commercial recording or even publication.

Individuals, organisations and charities in the UK are eligible to apply. Get application deadlines and more information on the Hinrichsen Foundation website

Japan Society Small Grants Programme

Educational establishments such as schools and colleges as well as community based organisations that wish to develop projects and events related to Japan and Japanese culture are able to apply for funding through their Small Grants programme. The awards support projects with an education or youth focus. Most awards are of £1,000 or less. Applications may be made at any time. Get more information on the Japan Society website

Morrisons Foundation Charitable Grants

Charities registered in the UK can apply for grants from the Morrisons Foundation to support community projects that improve people's lives. Get more information on the Morrisons Foundation website

Music for All

Music for All is dedicated to changing lives across the UK by improving access to music making. We are a passionate, focused and ambitious UK charity helping disadvantaged music makers experience the joys and far-reaching benefits of making music. Get application deadlines and more information on the Music for All website

Paul Hamlyn Foundation

The mission of this Foundation is to help people overcome disadvantage and lack of opportunity, so that they can realise their potential and enjoy fulfilling and creative lives. They have a particular interest in supporting young people and a strong belief in the importance of the arts.

They administer several funding programmes. Get more information on the Paul Hamlyn Foundation website

PRS Foundation

The PRS Foundation invests in the future of music by supporting talent development and new music across the UK; enabling songwriters and composers of all backgrounds to realise their potential and reach audiences across the world. They administer several funds both for organisations and individuals. Get more information on the PRS Foundation website

Radcliffe Trust

Funding is available for UK registered charities and not-for-profit organisations working in the areas of music, especially chamber music, composition and music education, or in heritage and crafts.

The deadlines are the 31 January and 31 July. Get more information on the Radcliffe Trust website

The Rayne Foundation

Grants are available to charitable and not-for-profit organisations based and working in the UK to support activities that bring clear and direct benefits to vulnerable and disadvantaged people and address the foundations areas of special interest: young people's improved mental health, arts as a tool to achieve social change and improved quality of life for carers and for older people.

Grants typically range from £10,000 to £20,000 per year for up to three years.

The fund has a two-stage application process, applications may be submitted at any time. Get more information on the Rayne Foundation website

Saracen's Norfolk Fund

The Saracen's Norfolk Fund has been created to support charitable activities that benefit rural areas within the district of South Norfolk with grants up to a maximum of £5,000. The Fund aims to support projects that are led by local people and aim to enhance quality of life in small rural communities by improving access to support, services and opportunities.

Get more information on the Norfolk Community Foundation website

The Steel Charitable Trust Grants

Grants of between £10,000 and £25,000 are made to charitable organisations in the UK that fall into one of the five core categories: Arts and Heritage, Education, Environment, Health and Social or Economic Disadvantage. Get more information on the Steel Charitable Trust website

Tesco Community Grants

Tesco Community Grants fund thousands of local community projects across the UK, helping to fight holiday hunger, tackle mental health, support young people, host community events and much more.

The programme is open to charities and community organisations to apply for a grant of up to £1,500. Every three months, three local good causes are selected to be in the blue token customer vote in Tesco stores throughout the UK.

Get more information on the Tesco Community Grants website

Trusthouse Charitable Foundation

A grant making foundation giving grants to small and medium sized local organisations in the UK with a demonstrable track record of success working to address local issues in communities of extreme urban deprivation and deprived rural districts.

The organisation provides Small and Major Grants. Get deadlines and more information on the Trusthouse Charitable Foundation website