Lewisham Arts & Culture Fund 2022-25 (UK)

Deadline: 18-Nov-21

The Lewisham Council has launched its Lewisham Arts & Culture Fund 2022-25.

• A greener future
• A healthy and well future
• An economically sound future
• A future they all have a part in

• Investing in cultural infrastructure: This priority focusses on delivering support to the arts and culture sector as a whole through strong infrastructure, coordination and fundraising services rather than trying to directly fund everything that is needed in the borough. In the context of scarce public resources it is essential that they seek to future-proof the local arts and culture sector by cultivating a climate of self-sufficiency, where leadership comes from within.
  • In order to achieve this they will provide annual funding of up to £150,000 to a cultural anchor organisation.
  • An anchor organisation would be expected to:
    • Co-ordinate consortium funding bids. Broker partnerships to maximise access to external funding streams
    • Support emerging artists and organisations to reflect and develop their creative practices, working closely with other artists
    • Nurture partnerships. Develop and coordinate networks and collaborations and provide effective representation.
  • In submitting applications, organisations should demonstrate how they will:
    • Lead by example and support other organisations to address inequalities
    • Promote a culture of continual development in response to emerging needs of the sector and the wider context.
    • Represent the interests of a broad range of arts and culture eg performing and visual
    • Serve the interests of other organisations equitably – specifically in relation to developing consortium bids
    • Engage with regional and national industry bodies
    • Engage with existing networks
    • Work closely with the Lewisham Council Culture Team
• Investing in diversity: Investing in diversity is a key priority for this funding – tackling inequality and barriers to participation in arts and culture. Applications will be expected to demonstrate how they will increase and diversify participation, nurture talent and provide progression pathways, including developing outreach links into other settings such as schools. they want to continue to encourage innovation and the ongoing development of an atmosphere in which new things can emerge.
  • they are likely to fund approximately 8 organisations with grants of up £30,000 to deliver services that focus on:
    • Race
    • Disability
    • Economic disadvantage
    • Age (young people and older people)
  • In submitting applications, organisations should demonstrate how they will:
    • Ensure that their organisation is diverse led
    • Address issues around intersectionality and work towards community cohesion
    • Work with Lewisham Council around key events such as Black History Month

• In order to be eligible for a grant from Lewisham Council you must be a not for profit organisation.
• The following types of organisation are eligible to apply for a grant:
  • Registered Charity
  • Company Ltd by shares
  • CIC (Community Interest Company)
  • Cooperative
  • Other – constituted (including CIO’s and Social Enterprises)
  • Other – un-constituted – please give details of your organisation’s governance document for example a constitution, aims and objectives, membership and how decisions are made 

For more information, visit https://communityfunding.lewisham.gov.uk/lewisham-arts-culture-fund-2022-25