Arts Council England champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people's lives. We support a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries - from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections.
Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2010 and 2015, we will invest £1.9 billion of public money from government and an estimated £1.1 billion from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country.
Select a category below or click on the links on the left to find out about all our funding programmes which are open for application.
For information on all other programmes visit the Our investment section. For advice and useful information relating to our funding programmes visit the main Funding page.
Artists and creative professionals
Grants for the arts
Rolling deadlines 2012-2015
Total fund: £202 million
Maximum grant: £200,000
Priority areas:
Supporting artists and creative individuals to develop their talent is vital to the future success of arts and culture.
Regions:
National
Grants for the arts are for activities carried out over a set period and which engage people in England in arts activities, and help artists and arts organisations in England carry out their work.
Find out moreStrategic touring programme
You can apply at any time but to be considered for a particular funding round, apply by the following dates in 2013:
Friday 14 June, Friday 9 August, Friday 4 October, Friday 29 November
Funding decisions made:
Monday 5 August, Monday 30 September, Monday 25 November, Monday 27 January 2014
Total fund: £45 million
Maximum grant: No maximum
Priority areas:
Help us achieve our goal of more people in England experiencing and be inspired by the arts.
Regions:
National
The £45 million Strategic touring programme was launched in 2011 and is designed to encourage collaboration between organisations, so that more people across England experience and are inspired by the arts, particularly in places which rely on touring for much of their arts provision.
Find out moreGrants for the arts Libraries fund
Rolling deadlines 2012-2015
Total fund: £6 million
Maximum grant: £100,000
Priority areas:
The Arts Council's vision for libraries is that they inspire and empower people to lead active lives, enriched through cultural experience. The Arts Council is working with libraries to explore a vision for arts and culture working together.
Regions:
National
The Grants for the arts Libraries fund will invest £6 million of the Arts Council's Grants for the arts National Lottery money in projects delivered by public libraries or library authorities working in partnership with cultural organisations across all art forms.
It is hoped that the Grants for the arts Libraries fund will inspire ambitious, innovative partnerships between libraries and arts organisations, and encourage library users and those living locally to take part in artistic and cultural activities.
Find out moreStrategic touring programme
You can apply at any time but to be considered for a particular funding round, apply by the following dates in 2013:
Friday 14 June, Friday 9 August, Friday 4 October, Friday 29 November
Funding decisions made:
Monday 5 August, Monday 30 September, Monday 25 November, Monday 27 January 2014
Total fund: £45 million
Maximum grant: No maximum
Priority areas:
Help us achieve our goal of more people in England experiencing and be inspired by the arts.
Regions:
National
The £45 million Strategic touring programme was launched in 2011 and is designed to encourage collaboration between organisations, so that more people across England experience and are inspired by the arts, particularly in places which rely on touring for much of their arts provision.
Find out moreGrants for the arts
Rolling deadlines 2012-2015
Total fund: £202 million
Maximum grant: £200,000
Priority areas:
Supporting artists and creative individuals to develop their talent is vital to the future success of arts and culture.
Regions:
National
Grants for the arts are for activities carried out over a set period and which engage people in England in arts activities, and help artists and arts organisations in England carry out their work.
Find out morePRISM
Rolling deadlines 2012-2015
Total fund: £250,000 per year
Maximum grant: £20,000
Priority areas:
Arts Council England now represents museums, having assumed some of the functions of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), on 1 October 2011.
Regions:
National
The Preservation of Industrial and Scientific Material (PRISM) fund awards grants towards the costs of acquisition and conservation of items or collections which are important in the history and development of science, technology, industry, and related fields.
The PRISM fund covers England and Wales.
Find out moreStrategic touring programme
You can apply at any time but to be considered for a particular funding round, apply by the following dates in 2013:
Friday 14 June, Friday 9 August, Friday 4 October, Friday 29 November
Funding decisions made:
Monday 5 August, Monday 30 September, Monday 25 November, Monday 27 January 2014
Total fund: £45 million
Maximum grant: No maximum
Priority areas:
Help us achieve our goal of more people in England experiencing and be inspired by the arts.
Regions:
National
The £45 million Strategic touring programme was launched in 2011 and is designed to encourage collaboration between organisations, so that more people across England experience and are inspired by the arts, particularly in places which rely on touring for much of their arts provision.
Find out moreArts and older people in care commissioned grant
Successful partnerships or consortia will be announced in December 2013.
Total fund: £1 million
Maximum grant: N/A
Priority areas:
We will encourage our funded organisations to be even more focused on audiences - to reach more people, to broaden audiences, and to improve the quality and depth of audience experience.
Regions:
National
The Arts and older people in care commissioned grant is a £1 million programme jointly funded by the Arts Council and The Baring Foundation. The programme wants to build on the existing examples of good practice where artists and arts and cultural organisations are making a real difference to people’s lives and providing a bridge between older people and the wider community.
Find out moreDigital R&D Fund for the Arts
Rolling deadlines 2012-2015
Total fund: £7 million
Maximum grant: £125,000
Priority areas:
Encompasses a wide range of activities that are enabled by digital technology, including creative practice, audience engagement and marketing, technological innovation, new business models and distribution
We will encourage our funded organisations to be even more focused on audiences - to reach more people, to broaden audiences, and to improve the quality and depth of audience experience.
Regions:
National
The Digital R&D fund for the Arts is a strategic partnership between the Arts Council, Nesta and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). It is unique in encouraging collaboration between the arts, digital technology providers and the research community in order to undertake experiments from which the wider arts and cultural sector can learn.
Find out moreGrants for the arts
Rolling deadlines 2012-2015
Total fund: £202 million
Maximum grant: £200,000
Priority areas:
Supporting artists and creative individuals to develop their talent is vital to the future success of arts and culture.
Regions:
National
Grants for the arts are for activities carried out over a set period and which engage people in England in arts activities, and help artists and arts organisations in England carry out their work.
Find out moreStrategic touring programme
You can apply at any time but to be considered for a particular funding round, apply by the following dates in 2013:
Friday 14 June, Friday 9 August, Friday 4 October, Friday 29 November
Funding decisions made:
Monday 5 August, Monday 30 September, Monday 25 November, Monday 27 January 2014
Total fund: £45 million
Maximum grant: No maximum
Priority areas:
Help us achieve our goal of more people in England experiencing and be inspired by the arts.
Regions:
National
The £45 million Strategic touring programme was launched in 2011 and is designed to encourage collaboration between organisations, so that more people across England experience and are inspired by the arts, particularly in places which rely on touring for much of their arts provision.
Find out more
