Funding
What you cannot apply for
The information included on these pages is a summary of the eligibility requirements in the How to apply booklet.
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.
What you cannot apply for
You cannot apply for the following activities.
- Activities that are not related to the arts.
- Film or video production and cinema exhibition, unless it is in support of artists’ work in the moving image. Please see our The moving image information sheet for more details about what we do and do not fund relating to ’moving images’ (for example, films).
- Training or education activities, or activities where members of the public take part, where the main or only artform being used is film or video, unless it is to support artists’ work in the moving image.
- Buying assets for film or video, unless they are to support artists’ work in the moving image.
- Activities that provide no potential benefit to the public, either in the short term or long term.
- Activities, including buying goods or services, which take place or start before we would be able to decide about your application.
- Activities, equipment or events that double up (duplicate) what already exists.
- Costs that are already covered by other funding.
- General running costs and overheads that are already paid for by other income, including your own funds.
- Ongoing overheads relating to equipment or buildings, such as insurance and maintenance costs.
- Fundraising events, such as charity galas, that do not benefit the arts.
- Second-hand equipment (apart from certain musical instruments and specialist equipment). Please see our ’Musical instruments and second-hand equipment’ information sheet for more information.
- Activities or events mainly taking place outside England (there are some exceptions to this – for example, grants for international travel or training, and international exchanges – but these activities must benefit individuals and artists living in, and organizations based in, England). Please see our International activity information sheet for more information.
- Activities that do not benefit or engage people in England or that do not help artists and arts organisations in England to carry out their work.
- Buying equipment and instruments which would not be used for the benefit of the public, either immediately or in the long term, or where the applicant does not have an artistic track record.
- Self-promotional activities which do not provide public benefit, either immediately or in the long term, or where the applicant does not have an artistic track record.
- Activities in a formal educational setting for educational purposes necessary by law.
An application to Grants for the arts must include a number of items to be eligible to be assessed, including a written proposal and a filled-in application form. The How to apply booklet has full details about what you must include to make an eligible application. You can download the How to apply booklet or get it as part of the application pack through our enquiry team.
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
Fill in our enquiry form