Esmee Fairbairn Foundation: Youth-led Culture and Creativity Fund
Overview
IThe Youth-Led Creativity programme builds on young people's power to make change, use creativity to enhance their lives, develop their careers, and influence the world around them.
They are focusing their support on work led by and for young people who have less access to creative programmes or who are underrepresented in arts and culture.
This includes young people who:
- are D/deaf, disabled or neurodivergent
- are from communities experiencing racial inequity
- are economically or educationally disadvantaged
- identify as LGBT+
- have migration or care experience
The programme has been co-designed with Esmée’s Involving Young People Collective. A panel of young consultants will play a key role in the assessment process for the Fund. This is to ensure the views and voices of young people are at the heart of the programme.
They will also use the Involving Young People Values to support their decision-making. The values were developed by Esmée’s Involving Young People Collective and offer guidance and learning for organisations on co-production with young people.
About the funding and support
- They will award £1m in 2024.
- They will consider requests for project and/or core costs, and single or multi-year grants. The maximum limit that can be applied for is £120k for up to three years.
- They expect to make 8 to 12 grants.
- A Learning Programme will run alongside the funding. This will be co-designed by funded organisations and facilitated by a Learning Partner. The Learning Programme will enable peer support and learning. Organisations will be compensated to support participation. Through the Learning Programme, they want to support funded organisations to develop and share their models of practice.
They will review the learning from this fund with the Involving Young People Collective and Learning Programme participants. This will help them to decide how they best support work to achieve this outcome in the future.
Who can apply
They want to support organisations and work that:
- Is driven and shaped by young people so they can build their confidence and skills. Most of the young people supported need to be aged 14 to 30.
- Understands and can demonstrate a track record of centering the voices of young people from communities underrepresented in arts and culture. This includes: young people who are D/deaf, disabled or neurodivergent, are from communities experiencing racial inequity, are economically disadvantaged, identify as LGBT+, have migration and/or care experience.
- Prioritises the joy and care of young people.
- Uses art and creativity as a tool for young people to use their voice and influence change in their own lives and the world around them.
- Is driving change for the future either by doing something new, or by using tried and tested models to push things forward.