Creative Funding Awards 2024-25 (United Kingdom)

Deadline: 29 July 2024

The Aberdeen City Council is seeking applications for its Creative Funding programme which offers cultural organisations with not for profit status, community groups, charities and individual artists or creatives the opportunity to apply for support to develop and/or deliver creative activity.

Aberdeen has a unique culture, where traditions of the north-east flourish alongside contemporary creative activity. Aberdeen City Council recognises the intrinsic value of the arts as well as the benefits a strong cultural sector brings by improving the wellbeing of citizens, attracting tourism, and encouraging new businesses to trade in the city.

This funding has previously been awarded to festivals, community groups, brand new arts organisations and has supported projects from emerging individual artists through to established organisations.

A range of projects can be considered for funding, such as performances, exhibitions, networking events or even something completely new and innovative; there are very few limitations on the type of creative project that can be supported.

Applications are welcome from organisations who can make a significant difference, by increasing opportunities and access, to activities that reflect the cultural diversity of Aberdeen. This includes activities by, with, or for those with protected characteristics, people who are marginalised, those living with disadvantage or from a lower social economic group.

Categories

Creative Funding for Individuals
Creative Funding for Organisations
Creative Funding for Pilot Seed Funding

Focus Areas

Creative Funding supports a range of areas/fields within arts, culture, heritage and the creative industries. This includes and is not limited to;
- Archives
- Computer Games
- Crafts
- Cultural Education
- Dance
- Design
- Fashion and Textiles
- Film and Video
- Heritage
- Language and the Written Word
- Music
- Photography
- Software/Electronic publishing
- Theatre
- TV and Radio
- Visual Arts
- Writing and developing creative written material

Funding Information

Creative Funding for Individuals
- Individuals can apply for up to a maximum of £2,500. You may only make one funding application to Creative Funding per year although you may reapply if you are unsuccessful. There is an opportunity for up to 8 individual funding awards to be allocated each year. Successful applicants can only apply every second year. For example, successful applicants in 2023-24 cannot apply the following year in 2024-25 and so on.
- There is no match funding requirement for individuals. However, all applicants are encouraged, where possible, to explore additional funding streams.
- Creatives fees in the proposal.
  - Individuals can apply for personal fees as part of the budget request, whilst the recommendation is for this to be approximately 50% of the overall budget, this is flexible and dependent on the project or development you wish to undertake. In your proposal please ensure that all the necessary project resources required for your activity has been accounted for in the budget. Within the same proposal fees for other collaborators or service suppliers can be researched, costed and added to the budget as appropriate.
Creative Funding for Organisations
- Organisations may apply for up to a maximum of £8,000 and it is possible to send two applications per year.
- You may apply for up to 75% of the total cost of your proposed activity. The remaining 25% must be cash funding from a source external to the Council (Please do not include in-kind support within your budget as match funding). Examples of cash funding include projected ticket sales, organisational funds or a grant from another funding body.
Creative Funding for Pilot Seed Funding
- Organisations can submit one application in this round for a maximum of up to £2,500. No match funding is required to apply.

Eligible Activities

Creative Funding for Individuals
- Creative funding can support a range of different types of cultural and creative activity. This is to include:
  - Delivering activity: They can support the delivery of different types of cultural and creative activity, in your proposal there should be a clear public outcome and output which is to the benefit of residents of Aberdeen. Examples include workshops, exhibitions, performances, festivals, or events. If professional development or training is requested in the application, it must relate to the activity proposed within the project. If your project is targeted at a specific community, please include a statement of support from the community or group you are working with. If your end outcome and output is to be delivered or presented at a venue, please provide a letter of support from the operator or relevant programmer.
Creative Funding for Organisations
- Delivering activity: They can support Organisations who can make a significant difference by increasing opportunities and access, to activities that reflect the cultural diversity of Aberdeen. This includes activities by, with, or for those with protected characteristics, people who are marginalised, those living with disadvantage or from a lower social economic group.
- In this instance you require support to deliver a high quality cultural and creative activity that has not been started, however is in the planning stage and is achievable, that the key arrangements are in place subject to funding being confirmed. For example, the proposal could be to deliver a workshop, an exhibition, a performance or a festival. If any professional development or training is required, it must relate to the activity proposed within the application.
- Developing ideas and projects: In certain cases, they can support the development of projects prior to their delivery. Examples include research and pre-production activity. If any professional development or training is required, it must relate to the activity proposed within the application.
Creative Funding for Pilot Seed Funding
- Delivering activity: You can apply for support to deliver a cultural and creative activity with underrepresented individuals and groups. The proposal will not have started but is at a stage that the key arrangements are achievable subject to funding being confirmed. For example, the proposal could be to deliver a workshop, an exhibition, a performance or an event for a festival. If any professional development or training is required, it must relate to the activity proposed in the application.

Who can apply?

For Individuals
- Applications are considered from a diverse group of individuals. Individuals who are
  - Are residents of Aberdeen city.
  - Are over the age of 18.
  - Can deliver a high quality cultural and creative activity within Aberdeen. Please note there should be a clear public outcome and output which is to the benefit of residents of the City in your proposal.
  - Have a clear proposal that meets the criteria.
- If your project proposal also has a professional development or training request, training can be outwith the city, but it must relate to the proposed activity that will be delivered in the city.
For Organisations
- Applications are welcome from Organisations who can make a significant difference, by increasing opportunities and access, to activities that reflect the cultural diversity of Aberdeen. This includes activities by, with, or for those with protected characteristics, people who are marginalised, those living with disadvantage or from a lower social economic group.
- Organisations who are:
  - Are based in Aberdeen city.
  - Are based out with Aberdeen City and are applying for funding to deliver an inclusive creative and cultural activity with a community in Aberdeen. Please include a support statement in the application, from the local community partner explaining their involvement with the project.
  - Have not for profit status, such as being a registered charity, social enterprise or community interest company.
  - An ability to deliver high quality creative activity within Aberdeen.
  - An equal opportunities statement or policy (or are willing to adopt ACC’s). Applications are welcome from underrepresented organisations.
  - Relevant accounting procedures.
  - Have a clear proposal that meets the criteria.
- Your proposal must be for creative activity within Aberdeen, the only exception to this is if a case is made in the application for professional development that takes place out with the city.
For Pilot Seed Funding
- Applications will be considered from organisations whose proposed activity will be with, or for underrepresented groups or individuals in Aberdeen.
  - Are based in Aberdeen city.
  - Have never received Creative Funding previously or in the last 5 years. For example since 2019/20
  - Have not for profit status, such as being a registered charity, volunteer association, social enterprise or community interest company. Commercial/for profit businesses are excluded.
  - An ability to deliver high quality creative activity within Aberdeen.
  - An equal opportunities statement or policy (or are willing to adopt ACC’s). Applications are welcome from underrepresented organisations.
  - Relevant accounting procedures.
  - Have a clear proposal that meets the criteria.