Arts Council England - National Lottery Project Grants

Background

Arts Council England, the arts and cultural development agency for England, has created National Lottery Project Grants as an open-access programme for arts, museums and libraries.

The programme is funded by National Lottery players.

Objectives of Fund

This grants programme is intended to help the Arts Council deliver its 2020-2030 strategy, 'Let's Create' which is about making a difference to the creative and cultural lives of people and communities in England. It also provides a means to support a broad range of not-for-profit projects that create and sustain quality work and help people across England to engage with arts and culture.

The programme supports development by allowing artists, cultural practitioners and organisations to work in new ways and to get their work out to new audiences.

Priority is currently being given to the following types of time limited priorities:

• Supporting Grassroots Live Music - specifically supports rehearsal and recording studios, promoters, festivals, and venues for live and electronic music performance.
• Museums Unlocking Collections - aimed at enabling museums to develop their collections-based work and increase public engagement with, and use of, their collections.
• Universal Library Offers - aimed at enabling public libraries with their delivery of the four Universal Library Offers: Reading, Health and Wellbeing, Digital and Information, and Culture and Creativity.

Information sheets for each priority can be found on the Arts Council England website.

Value Notes

Three levels of grants are available:

• Grants of up to and including £30,000.
• Grants of between £30,001 and £100,000.
• Grants of £100,001 and over.

The funding can be for projects lasting up to three years.

Match Funding Restrictions

Match funding of at least 10% is required.

Who Can Apply

Individual artists and community and cultural organisations can apply.

To be eligible, applicants (individual or organisation) must:

• Be based within (live in or have a business address in) England or the wider UK.
• Have a UK bank account in the exact name they are applying in.
• Be at least 18 years old (for organisations: have an accountable person who is at least 18).

The following information is for organisations:

• Organisations refers to a group of people working towards a common goal with a governing document that covers the type of project being applied. This could be, for example, a charity, a limited company or an unincorporated group. Examples would be arts organisations, museums, libraries, Music Education Hubs, and organisations that use the arts in their work.
• All organisations need to have a bank account in the organisation’s name, with two signatories.
• Limited companies and registered charities need to have a registered office in the UK.

Applications will be accepted from organisations working as a consortium, partnership, network or group. For non-constituted consortiums or groups, one organisation must act as the lead organisation and submit the application. If the application goes on to be successful, this organisation would then be accountable for the grant.

Location

England

Restrictions

The following are some of the things that are not eligible for funding:

• Activities that do not focus on the disciplines supported by ACE.
• Statutory education, further education or higher education (undergraduate or postgraduate) costs – costs for activities directly linked to a formal course of study cannot be funded.
• Ongoing overheads or running costs outside of the project timeline
• Retrospective costs. Activities, goods or services that have already taken place, or been bought or ordered before a decision has been made on the application.
• Showcasing work at Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
• Cash prizes and re-granting.
• Projects that make a profit.
• Fundraising and donations.
• Carbon off-setting payments.

A full list of restrictions can be found in the information sheets.

Eligible Expenditure

The grants programme supports a broad range of creative and cultural projects that benefit people living in England. Projects can range from directly creating and delivering creative and cultural activity to projects which have a longer term positive impact, such as organisational development, research and development and sector support and development.

The funding is for projects that are focused on one or more of the following disciplines:

• Dance
• Literature
• Museums (accredited or unaccredited)
• Music
• Theatre
• Visual Arts
• Combined Arts (including festivals and carnivals)
• Libraries (for activities that deliver against at least one of the Universal Library Offers including: Creativity and Culture; Reading; Information and Digital; Health and Wellbeing).

Support is also available for a range of other types of work, provided projects clearly focus on one or more of the disciplines the Arts Council can support. This may involve:

• Creative media - using technology to make or share work, for example: video, audio, virtual reality or Live-streaming.
• Non-arts organisations or settings, such as residential care providers, or a science organisation.
• Health and wellbeing, social inclusion, heritage or sport.

How To Apply

Guidance for applicants, information sheets, and application forms are available on the Arts Council England website.

There are three application forms. These are determined by the grant amount being requested:

• £30,000 or under. Decisions expected within up to 9 weeks.
• £30,001 to £100,000. Decisions expected within up to 14 weeks.
• £100,001 or over. The first step is to submit an Expression of Interest. Applicants are 'strongly encouraged' to have a conversation with the Arts Council England before submitting an EOI. Decisions are expected within up to 8 weeks. Successful applicants will then be invited to submit a full application within four weeks.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Applications are made using Arts Council England’s Grantium system.

There are a number of relevant information sheets to help groups support their application:

• Buying equipment and assets
• Building projects
• Children, young people and learning
• Creative health projects
• Digital and technology based projects
• International activity
• Library projects
• Literature projects
• Museum and collection projects
• Repeat projects, ongoing overheads and salaries
• Research and Development
• Touring – developing a project.

Contact Arts Council England for further information.