Funding Sources and Applications
East St Arts
Arts council for Yorkshire has moved from Dewsbury to Leeds and is now 4/5 times smaller. Now if you put in an application it goes to manchester to be approved and no longer are you met and helped to get the money. The arts council offer grants to new graduates to develop their practice. They also offer funding for research.
The recommended days rate for a graduate one year on from graduating is £172.
AN Artist’s Newsletters. Campaigning so that organisations pay you the day rate. https://www.a-n.co.uk/news
Leeds Council has funding pots for artists, Arts at Leeds and Leeds Inspired are the two main provided. http://www.leedsinspired.co.uk/
Know the bigger picture, because if there’s an event coming up then have work related to sell around this or a project around this so that it links and you can apply to funding.
The lottery was set up in 1994 and provides a lot of funding to the arts. Distribution is through, Arts Council, Big Lottery and Heritage.
In kind support is all the stuff that doesn’t take out of the Budget. Such as venues, time, advice, marketing, rehearsal space, etc.
Do’s and Don’t of fund raising, personal tick list:
- Why do we raise funds? What’s the purpose and the need?
A political statement to raise funds, nearly every area of the industries is supported by the government in some way or another.
An endorsement of your work. Someone is saying it’s good.
Without funding how do you invest in what you are doing (survival/growth)
- How do we fin rout what is out there?
Art’s council, leeds inspired etc etc.
Networking, talking to colleagues find out how others are being funded.
Regular funders websites. Partnership funding may be useful.
AN, Arts Professional, Read through documents and follow up.
Look at who the local galleries are being funded by.
Attend Conferences, symposiums, networking events, get on mailing lists.
- Where do you start?
You are never going to find a funding body that is 100% matched, but if you’ve found something that’s interesting you, you might have to compromise but it is probably worth looking into. Their might not be a fund for the right time you’re looking at it, develop several come back to it because the pots are always changing. Keep your options in front of you.
It’s okay to fail and be rejected. It doesn’t mean that it’s a bad idea, competition just might be too strong. It’s the way you learn.
Start off by reading the guidelines twice. Make notes. What are they actually saying? Always read around the fund, who is funding it? What are the social and political contexts? Make a note of the deadline and don’t leave it till the last minute. If there’s someone there ring them and talk to them, they might give you an idea on what they think of the idea, and how you could make it stronger. If their are issues with the application ask around for help. Use simple, friendly and accessible language it’s not a piece of academic text.
Have you answered all their questions? Have you answered the question being asked? Does it all add up? Does your budget match the content of the text? Does it make sense to the narrative? Do the narrative first then the budget. Does it answer what they are asking for? Is there anything in the application that needs altering? If you get rejected go back to them. Build up another project, take on the feedback. If you don’t get rejected always have good relations with the funder. If their are any changes to the project, let them know, build up a trust with the funders.
East St Arts
Set up in 1993 remains at the core of artists needs. Try to be informed by artists and members. Studio Spaces, equipments, professional development.
