Creative Development Grants Programme

Our Creative Development Grants programme aims to increase opportunities for young people to work with creative practitioners.

STOP PRESS! We have now reviewed our grant programme and are re-launching the programme with the NEW guidelines and application form now available. The next deadline for applications is 2nd February 2009.

What is the objective of the Creative Development Grants Programme?
To enable schools, colleges, youth, community groups and arts and cultural organisations to provide young people with opportunities to work with and benefit from the skills and expertise of creative practitioners.
Creative practitioners are people who have a creative element to their work. They can be artists, but they are also chefs, landscape gardeners, graphic designers and those who work in the creative industries such as TV and film production.

What we can fund:
• Projects that address the criteria stated in the guidelines
• Professional fees for creative practitioners working in education or other learning or youth settings
• Proposals involving either one art form or a number of different art forms
• Short or long term projects
• Funding is specifically allocated for the payment of the fees of creative practitioners and applications for up to 50% of the total cost of a creative practitioner’s fees (up to £500) can be considered
• Projects which enhance existing skills or develop new areas of learning • Proposals which place an emphasis on the unique contribution that a creative practitioner can bring to a learning environment both within the school curriculum and wider community

What we cannot fund:
• Projects that have already started or have been completed
• CFC is unable to fund 100% of a project’s costs: your application needs to indicate which other sources of funding have been sought
• Projects based outside Cumbria
• Projects that do not have a high level of participation from young people eg. performances, readings or concerts in which young people are primarily audience members and not active participants

Who is eligible to apply?
Applications can be considered from:
• Early years settings eg nurseries, pre-schools
• Primary, secondary and special schools
• Pupil Referral Units
• FE & HE institutions
• Youth groups
• Other community providers working with young people eg. Children’s Centres
• Arts and cultural/heritage organisations
• Individual artists
• Artist studio groups

Who is NOT eligible to apply?
• Schools that are currently in receipt of funding through the Creative Partnerships Programme as a Change or Enquiry School during the academic year 2008-9
• Schools or other individuals and organisations that have been awarded funding under the Cumbria Arts in Education Open Grants programme in all of the last three consecutive years, ie in 2005/6, 2006/7 and 2007/8. In this case there must be a gap of two years before further applications can be considered. However, consideration would be given to applications from organisations or individuals that have been in receipt of funding from 2005-8 but who can demonstrate they would be working with schools or groups of young people that have not previously benefited from a grant.
• Private or independent schools

Can I apply on behalf of a group?
Yes. Where a project is being co-ordinated by an agency other than a school/college (eg. a District Council arts development department, a national agency, artists’ studio group, arts organisation, museum etc) and involves several schools or groups, then that body may make a block application to CFC on behalf of the schools or groups concerned.

How much can we apply for?
CAE cannot fully fund projects. It would normally expect to contribute no more than 50% of total professional artist fees and will not normally contribute more than £500 to any one project. Applications for grants of £300 or less will be considered at anytime throughout the year. These applications should be submitted on the same CAE application form and should be received at least 3 weeks in advance of the project start date.What kind of projects does CAE support?
The funds will be used in Cumbria to provide financial support towards the costs of projects by creative practitioners.
Proposals can embrace one art form or a number of different art forms and may be for short or long periods of time. The emphasis is on the unique contribution that an artist or creative practitioner can bring to a learning environment both within and outside of the curriculum. Consideration can be given to projects which either enhance existing skills or develop new areas of learning.

When is the deadline?
The next deadline for applications is 15th September 2008 for projects taking place after 1st October 2008.

Subsequent deadline: 1st February 2009

In all cases, applicants will be expected to make a cash contribution of a minimum of 25% of the total project cost. Cumbria Arts in Education will be pleased to provide information and advice on additional funding sources.

Read our case studies to find out more about the type of projects we have supported.