This page contains information relating to artist funding in the UK. We have tried our best to lay out the information available in a convenient and efficient manner, but we always welcome feedback and additions to our resources. Please contact [email protected] with any contributions.


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Finding funding as a disabled artist can be challenging. We have tried to collate information on this page that might make that process easier for disabled artists seeking funding in the UK. However, we can only guarantee that information on this page is accurate at the time it was updated, and not beyond. We endeavour to thoroughly check the validity of third party information we signpost, but occasionally providers elect not to disclose some requirements before enquiries are made by artists. 

It is also worth bearing in mind that artist funding comes various timeframes as well as some places requiring membership to access more information.

How to navigate this page

This page is divided into three sections. 

  1. Table displaying the various funding providers in the UK. Clicking on a funding provider's name in this table will take you to the relevant information we have been able to gather about the service further down the page
  2. Further information about each of the funding providers, including any available accessibility notes. Click the pink heading title to visit the organisation's external website
  3. Links to external directories and resources relating to finding artist funding in London and beyond

What sort of funding are you looking for?

Funding Provider Artist / Project Fees
Access Funding
Learning / Research Time
Additional Funding Directory
a-n
Access to Work  
   
Artquest  
Arts Council England
Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy    
Crowdfunder  
Elephant Trust      
Gane Trust    
Help Musicians      
PRS for Music Foundation      
QEST    
Snowdon Scholarship      
The Eaton Fund      
Wellcome    

More information about artist funding organisations

a-n (The artists information company)

a-n is a membership organisation that mainly supports visual artists; they provide year-round information and listings you may find useful, and at certain times of the year offer small bursaries which artists can use to support their practice.

Access to Work

An Access to Work grant can pay for practical support if you have a disability, health or mental health condition to help you:

  • start working
  • stay in work
  • move into self-employment or start a business

How much you get depends on your circumstances. The money doesn’t have to be paid back and will not affect your other benefits.

We have produced a resource on Access to Work which can be found here.

Artquest

Everything a visual artist needs to know. 

Arts Council England

We work to get great art to everyone by championing, developing and investing in experiences that enrich people's lives. Grants for the arts are the activities carried out over a set period and which engage people in England arts activities and help artists and organisations in England carry out their work. This link takes you to the main funding page on the ACE website, which includes organisational funding. Below are links to areas of support for independent artists. 

Developing your creative practice: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/DYCP

Project grants: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/projectgrants 

The Uncultured have created a helpful resource to assist with completing Arts Council applications. All of their resources and additional support can be found on their website.

Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy

The Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy Programme offers people across the arts and cultural sector training, traineeships, coaching, and digital skills development to encourage innovative and effective practice in arts fundraising and encourage a more entrepreneurial approach to income generation.

Crowdfunder

Crowdfunder is a new way for people to pool small amounts of money to back a good idea or project. If you need funding for a project or idea, Crowdfunder really is a no-brainer. Crowdfunder aims to fund all sorts of crazy, arty, funny, ingenious and jaw-dropping projects. So if you are an artist, explorer, musician, writer, entreprenuer or thrill seeker get in touch and kick start your project with Crowdfunder today.

Elephant Trust

Small arts grants for individuals up to £2k 

Gane Trust

Small grants to artists up to £1k 

Help Musicians

We welcome musicians who play, create, sing or teach all styles of music and we are working hard to dispel the myth that we only help older classical musicians. We help musicians of all ages and all genres. 

PRS for Music Foundation

PRS for Music Foundation is looking to support music creators, performers and promoters who are involved in creatively adventurous of pioneering musical activity. It does this by offering a wide range of funding schemes for new music activity/ For full details of each scheme and how to apply. 

QEST

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) supports the training and education of talented and aspiring craftspeople through traditional college courses, vocational training, apprenticeships and one-to-one training with a master craftsperson; helping to support Britain’s cultural heritage and sustain vital skills in traditional and contemporary crafts.

Snowdon Scholarship

The Snowdon Masters Scholarships is for national and international disabled students applying for a master's programme at any UK institution that starts in 2022.
Up to a maximum of £30,000 of funding per successful student is available - with up to £15,000 available towards master's fees and a £15,000 p.a. allowance while studying.
The scholarship has been designed to identify, accelerate and support talented disabled individuals to achieve their higher education goals.

The Eaton Fund

Small grants are available to visual artists (not performance work) who need support to complete work and projects. Head to the website for more information and how to apply.

Wellcome

Wellcome supports imaginative and experimental arts projects that investigate biomedical science. The scheme aims 
to: 
- stimulate interest, excitement and debate about biomedical science through the arts 
- examine the social, cultural, and ethical impact of biomedical science 
- support formal and informal learning 
- encourage new ways of thinking 
- encourage high quality interdisciplinary practice and collaborative partnerships in arts, science and/or education practice. 
All art forms are covered by the programme: dance, drama, performance arts, visual arts, music, film, craft, photography, creative writing or digital media.

Note:

Some arts funders will only support organisations, for example a registered charity or CIC. These organisations may provide grants directly to artists in some cases, or run projects which artists take part in, or are commissioned to deliver.  If you cannot see the information you are looking for, do get in touch with these organisations and view it as a way to potentially build a connection with them. 


Finding studio spaces in London aren't accessible to you? Take a minute to email [email protected]. All evidence we build helps us to work better with funders and partners towards solutions which can help disabled artists.

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