Youth Arts Open Fund in the UK

Deadline: 5-Jun-23

The YouthLink Scotland is pleased to announce an open call for applications to support freelance artists or organisations seeking small amounts of funding so that they can deliver arts activity for children and young people – primarily those who have traditionally found it hardest to access such opportunities.

The Youth Arts Open Fund is part of Creative Scotland’s wider support for children and young people and is administered by Youth Link Scotland (the national agency for youth work in Scotland).

Funded projects are expected to engage children and young people in high-quality and accessible arts activity that empowers them through self-expression, enhances their mental health and wellbeing and that builds their confidence and skills.

Funding Information

• Freelance artists can apply for funding up to £8k and organisations can apply for funding of up to £15k, to deliver up to 12 months of arts activity, and there is a total of £460k available.
• Funding Period: All proposed activities must be delivered between 1 st of August 2023 and 31 st July 2024 All project reports must be submitted one month after project completion.

Eligibility Criteria

• Awards from the fund will be made to freelance artists or to creative, third sector or youth work organisations. Applicants must be based in Scotland, experienced in working with children and young people and supporting the delivery of FREE community-based arts activities for children and young people living in Scotland. Organisations currently in receipt of Creative Scotland funding for projects with and for children and young people must demonstrate how the proposed activity is additional to your existing funding agreement and how the activity enhances current and future plans. This fund is not open to private/commercial businesses.
• You can apply to provide new opportunities or that are additional and enhance existing opportunities – but not to fund existing provision.

Fund Criteria

• Proposals must:
  • Offer free, high-quality activities, which encourage children and young people’s access and participation in one or more art forms.
  • NB// As the Youth Arts Open Fund is part of the Scottish Governments commitment to expand the Youth Music
  • Initiative (YMI) to other art forms they are likely to prioritise projects delivering in art forms wider than music. The
  • YMI Access to Music Making Fund provides opportunity for music -based projects (Youth Music Initiative
  • Funding | Creative Scotland). They will however welcome music-based applications to the Youth Arts Open Fund where the level or scope of the fund may be more suitable than YMI Access to Music Making.
• Take a proactive approach to addressing inequalities and ensuring the activities are accessible to all.
  • They know that some children and young people have traditionally found it harder to access youth arts activities. These inequalities can be intersectional and can include:
    • Children and young people at risk of child poverty
    • Children and young people experiencing or at risk of experiencing harm and neglect
    • Care experienced children and young people
    • Children and young people in the early years (0-5) of their life
    • Children and young people affected by discrimination and/or racism
    • Disabled children and young people
    • Children and young people with additional support needs
    • Children and young people with experience of the criminal justice system
    • Young carers and/or young parents
    • Children and young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, or who have been homeless

• Achieve at least four of the following outcomes for the children and young people (CYP) participating:
  • CYP facing additional barriers have equal opportunities to access artistic and creative activities.
  • CYP develop wider transferable skills through involvement in youth arts provision.
  • CYP are empowered through their involvement in youth-led activities and their voices are amplified.
  • The mental health & wellbeing of CYP is improved through their participation in artistic and creative activities.
  • CYP feel better able to express themselves through involvement in arts activities.
  • CYP feel better connected to their peers and communities.
  • Partnerships between youth work and youth arts partners are strengthened
  • Youth workers are more confident in embedding creative and artistic projects in their delivery

• Incorporate the ideas of children and young people and empower them in the development, management and running of the project.
• Involve qualified and experienced tutors in the delivery of the art activities. (CV’s of delivery staff must be provided). Creative Scotland is committed, through any activities they support, to ensure that artists and those professionals working in the creative community are paid fairly and appropriately for their time and effort.

What they do not fund?

• The Youth Arts Open Fund does not support the following;
  • Proposals that do not fit the fund criteria
  • Applications from schools and/or their associated organisations, such as Parent Teacher Associations
  • Competitions, or participation in competitions
  • Events and activities that take place out with the period of the fund
  • Training courses for staff and volunteers
  • Capital costs in excess of 15% of the total amount requested. (Capital = property, property upgrades, vehicles, equipment, and clothing etc)
  • Proposals that do not offer good value for money
  • Excessive management overheads and core cost recovery
  • Activity that has already been supported by Creative Scotland / Screen Scotland funding (for example, from the Youth Music Initiative, National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations, the National Lottery Extended Programme Fund, National Lottery Awards for All Scotland or any other Creative Scotland / Screen Scotland funding programme) and is seeking match funding for this activity.

For more information, visit Youth Arts Open Fund.