Special round of grants launched

Over the years we have been delighted to see our grants help skills development in the arts, music and heritage, seen local museums transformed and communities enriched with the wonderful projects that our grants have supported.

Now more than ever, we need the arts in the hearts of our communities and homes, to inspire and uplift in these testing times. Whilst we all have had our fair share of online communications, they have transformed the way we engage with each other, our creativity and heritage and it’s easy to overlook the vital lifeline they have provided socially distanced individuals to engage with the things they find meaningful.

The younger generations were prepared to take on the online-only engagement with the arts, they had for some time seen galleries transform from just the bricks and mortar to the screen through instagram, facebook and other social media.

But it was the older generations that have surprised us the most in these challenging circumstances. Not only have they taken to the online engagement with the arts quickly and whole-heartedly, they have been trailblazers in the instigation of zoom lectures for The Arts Society and have supported each other across the country and further afield to achieve the same, they have created a network of support, which will no doubt last far longer than this pandemic will.

Our grants programme has not been without its challenges this year, we had to, in light of the circumstances, postpone our usual grants rounds. Our grant recipients had to postpone, cancel or reschedule events, but they have also come up with inspiring and imaginative ways to continue their amazing work online. These include Jam on the Marsh - one of our previous grant recipients held their annual arts festival with concerts and art exhibited online instead of the usual Romney Marsh. The Commedia of Errors Theatre Company who  have taken their energetic touring plays that are shared with those who are unable to attend theatres or arts centres in person to the digital realm. And former recipient St Martins in the Fields have continued to deliver their wonderful music and talks online through stmartins.digital to name but a few. 

Arts and Heritage organisations have been quick off the mark to engage creatively with the limitations of lockdown and social distancing, museums and art fairs have exhibited their collections online, in virtual tours and many have endeavoured to host their live events and talks digitally, and in many cases now reach a much wider audience than any in-person event ever could. 

In such difficult times, our society needs the arts to thrive, our friends, colleagues, neighbours and families need the arts for enjoyment and hope. 

In lieu of our usual grants rounds this year we are launching a special round of grants, encompassing our charitable objectives and funding priorities but now also to include initiatives and projects relating and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Projects may include adapting a project to meet new requirements, digital projects such as the delivery of events online rather than in person, provision of PPE or IR temperature readers and masks for participants, volunteers and staff, provision of equipment to support social distancing if the project cannot be delivered online or training for artists, volunteers and trainers to adapt and deal with the new COVID-19 circumstances that have affected their project.

These ideas are not exhaustive, and we know there are many other creative ways charities and Societies will continue their valuable work in the light of the new circumstances we find ourselves in.

We believe in arts for all, it strengthens and enriches us and we want to support you in your projects and help deliver the arts in a time where it is needed most; to uplift, enliven and bring joy to our communities and straight to the heart of our homes.

To apply

To find out more about our grants please visit our website here: theartssociety.org/grants

Our current round of grants is now open to UK registered charities with a turnover of less than £3M.

The application deadline is 27th November 2020.

You can find out more about JAM on the Marsh here

Commedia of Errors Theatre Company here

And St Martin’s in the Fields here

Featured images:  Commedia of Errors Theatre Company/ Niall McKenna and Cody Cochrane courtesy of City & Guilds of London School of Art