Creative People and Places 2025-28: FAQs

All of the 142 eligible places we recently announced for 2025-28 will be eligible for the 2026-29 CPP programme.

We are planning for this new programme to cover three years (April 2026 to March 2029). This is the same length as the postponed 2025-28 programme would have covered.

Our National Council made this decision in consideration of the challenges facing organisations following the Covid-19 pandemic, and the rising cost of living. We want to remain flexible and responsive to the needs of the sector in the delivery of our funding programmes.

We hope that the extension will provide security and stability to the current Creative People and Places projects, and further time for developing plans for those interested in applying to the next round.

We will publish updates on our website and in our e-newsletters as well as communicating directly with current CPPs and people who have let us know they’re happy for us to contact them via the register of interest.

Yes. All current Creative People and Places are already part of the Arts Council’s wider National Portfolio of regular investment in creativity and culture in England, and all of those extended for a year will continue to be part of the National Portfolio. The new programme when it opens will also be part of the National Portfolio

You will be invited to apply in early 2024. We are finalising the timeline at the moment, and we will share an update about when current CPPs can expect the Guidance for Applicants, and the application window, as soon as we can.

Current programmes will be eligible to apply for their current funding amount, pro-rated for 1 year.

For example, if you received £600,000 over three years, the amount for the extension would be £200,000

We will be closing all existing grants and reissuing a funding agreement for the extension year, starting 1 April 2025 and ending 31 March 2026. Apart from final payments, which are due at the end of April 2025, any payments that have not been requested and released by 31 March 2025 will not be payable, and you will begin a new funding agreement and payment schedule on 1 April 2025.

If you believe you will be in a position where you will be underspent by 31 March 2025, you should speak to your Relationship Manager

In exceptional circumstances, and with prior permission from Arts Council England, we will accept applications from a nominated replacement lead organisation, to apply to become the accountable body for this extension year funding round. The new lead organisation must be an existing member of the current consortium. If you are considering changing your accountable body (‘lead organisation’), you must notify your Relationship Manager as soon as possible, and no later than 31 January 2025.

It is possible for consortium members to change in the same way as it is during the current programme. This would need to be reflected in new partnership agreements. This is different to changing the lead organisation.

As the extension year is based on an existing funding agreement the geographical areas will need to remain the same. Geographical areas can change when you apply to the new programme for 2026-29.

We have published a short document on the Principles of Creative People and Places to help you in your thinking over this development year. This is not intended to replace any future guidance for applicants, but it does give an indication of the kinds of things it may be helpful to be considering.

You may also find it useful to look at the CPP learning pages on our website.

In the first instance we would encourage you to use the ‘Principles of Creative People and Places’ resource, which you can find on our website. You can also look at our guidance on National Lottery Project Grants.