Funding

Eligibility

Grants for the arts eligibility criteria

There is a high demand for our grants and we cannot fund all the eligible applications we receive. To manage the increased demand and make sure we distribute funds evenly, applications received after 20 May 2008 must meet the following criteria.

  • For national activities, we will enforce more rigorously current guidance that sets a ceiling of £200,000.
  • For grants to organisations we will enforce more rigorously current guidance that sets a ceiling of £100,000.
  • For all grants, the minimum application is £1,000.


We strongly recommend that you get advice from us if these criteria affect your activity. You can contact us via the enquiry form, and find further contact details on the contact us page.

Eligibility

The information included on these pages is a summary of the eligibility requirements for Grants for the arts. For complete details, please read the How to apply booklet. You can download the how to apply booklet or get it as part of the application pack through our enquiries team.

Our grants are for individuals, arts organisations and other people who use the arts in their work. They support activities that engage people in England or that help artists and arts organisations in England to carry out their work.

Your activity must take place mainly in England. There are some exceptions to this when artists or arts organisations from England are involved in activities in other countries. (Please see our information sheet International activity for more information.)

How to make your application eligible

An application to Grants for the arts must include a number of items to be eligible to be assessed. The How to apply booklet has full details about what makes an eligible application.

Your application must include:
  • A signed and dated application form with all the relevant questions filled in.
  • A filled-in budget in section D of the application form (you may also include a more detailed budget on a separate sheet if necessary). You must show a balanced budget (that is, your income and spending, including how much you are asking for from us, must be the same).
  • A filled-in tour schedule (if you are applying for touring activity).
  • A proposal, following the headings we ask for in the How to apply booklet
  • A CV if you are applying as an individual.
  • If you receive regular funding from us, written confirmation that your lead officer agrees with you making the application.
  • If you are applying for a building project, a copy of written confirmation from us that we agree with you making an application.
  • If we are already assessing an application from you, written confirmation that we agree with you making another application.
  • If you are an organisation applying for a grant over £100,000 or if you are applying for over £200,000 for a national activity, a copy of written confirmation from us that we agree with you making an application.
If your application does not contain the information we need in the format we ask for it to be in, it will not be assessed. Also, we will not be able to process your application if it does not contain enough information to assess it, or if you have not met all the conditions from a previous grant.
How to apply for a grant
Check if you are eligible
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Get an application pack
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Plan your time
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Find additional income
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Send your application
Related information

For general enquiries, phone:
0845 300 6200

textphone:
020 7973 6564

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