Raising the Cash

To make a show you need cash to pay yourselves and others; for example for rehearsal space; materials and marketing your show to potential events programmers and perform or tour it.

The Arts Council (ACE) project grants is a major source of funding for the creation and touring of new work.  However, they will not fund 100% of your project, so you need to look at a range of sources. The more confirmed income you have in your application the more chance you have of getting the funding as you are minimising ACE’s risk that your project will not go ahead. A minimum of 10% match funding in cash or in kind is expected, but the more you can push this percentage up (i.e. between 30% to 60%) the more chance of success you will have.

The sources of funding below have been categorised in line with ACE’s Income Finance template. For most applications including ACE you will need to state the source of the funding, the amount in total and whether it is confirmed or expected.

See Example Income Budget.

Writing the Application/Asking for Funds

Making a Production/Touring Budget

Arts Council England Project Grants

Sources of Funding Include:

1. Private Donations

These include:

• Donations from the public such as a crowd funding and donations campaigns.
• Grants from private trusts and foundations. You can subscribe to GRANTfinder to seek these out, but often your Local Authority can provide a list for free.
• Donations from businesses. Think creatively here. If you are creating a performance about houses, for example, could a housing developer co-commission you or book you to perform on the new estate.
• Does your bank have charitable funds to give away?
• Have you signed up for Amazon Smile and PayPal Giving? Where your supporters can select you as their chosen charity with Amazon/PayPal you can donate a small percentage of your supporters’ transaction to your organisation. Schools, Academy Trusts and Universities are private enterprises.
• Your own money.

2. Local Authority Funding 

Local Authorities can be a good source of funding for your project in entirety or as match funding for an Arts Council application.  Think creatively. Could your local authority be a commissioner or co-commissioner? Could they be bookers? For example, could your outdoor show easily transfer to a library or a school.

Bradford Council also have a number of Community Funds dedicated to projects working with particular wards in the metropolitan district.  Further information here:

• Bradford East – Community Chest and Area Committee Funding
• Bradford South – Youth and Community Chest Area Committee Funding
• Bradford West – Community Chest and Area Committee Funding
• Keighley – Community Chest and Area Committee Funding
• Shipley – Community Chest Funding
• The West Yorkshire Mayor’s Climate Community Grant Scheme (Bradford)

See also

• • Give Bradford for community projects

3. Earned Income

Earned income includes commissioning income or touring fees from a Festival, Event or Shopping Centre, National Trust, Historic England or other client that is not a local authority.

4. Support in Kind

In kind income is anything that has a value that you will not have to pay for. Do not put in kind items in any other section of the budget, list them only in the relevant section.

5. Other Public Funding

Whilst not necessarily geared to arts projects, the other National Lottery funders can support your project with a grant of up to £10k or £10K+ if you think creatively.

National Lottery Grants for Heritage: The National Lottery Heritage Fund prioritises projects that will share or interpret heritage, focussed on inclusion, led by and/or engaging diverse groups typically under-represented in heritage (for example, young people, ethnic minority  and LGBT+ communities, disabled people and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds).

This work could include:

• •Exploring different generations, communities and their history.
• Mental health and historic environments.
• Youth-led history focused projects.
• LGBTQ+ heritage.

National Lottery Community Fund: Although presently geared to a COVID-19 response the National Lottery Community Fund funds projects that:

• Build strong relationships in and across communities
• Improve the places and spaces that matter to communities.
• Help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage.

Funders such as National Lottery Community Fund and National Lottery Grants for Heritage , local authorities or trusts and foundations will have their own budget criteria. is a consortium of outdoor arts programmers offering commissioning funds for new work.

Without Walls: Without Walls is a consortium of outdoor arts programmers offering commissioning funds for new work. Without Walls funding can not be used as match funding with Arts Council England because Without Walls funding already comes from Arts Council England.