Freelands Foundation: Spring 2023 Fund - Open Call

Overview

Freelands Foundation works to broaden access to art education and the visual arts across the UK. Through their education programmes, they work with teachers and educators to develop diverse and ambitious approaches to art education and support teaching as artistic practice.

Each year, they identify a thematic funding focus within visual arts education and run two open calls for grants. In 2023, they will support visual art organisations working with schools and teachers on projects, with an emphasis on supporting and empowering teachers.

The Spring 2023 Fund (opening in February) will offer small grants over one or two years, whilst the Autumn 2023 Fund (opening in September/ October) will offer larger grants for more ambitious projects with a longer lead time for applicants to prepare their proposals.

About the Spring 2023 Fund

The Spring 2023 Fund opens for Expressions of Interest February 2023. They want to hear your plans for bold and innovative projects that build collaborative relationships between schools and visual art organisations. They are looking for projects that centre teachers in creative approaches to art education that inspire and engage young people.

A range of eligible art organisations can apply for grants of up to £25,000 per year for projects over one or two years. They are particularly interested in applications for tried and tested, existing projects, where the funding is allocated to enhance and/or scale the programmes and their impact.

Who can apply

The Spring 2023 Fund is open to organisations that meet all the below criteria:

1. Visual Arts

Organisations including museums, non-commercial galleries, art education organisations, studio providers, etc. working in the visual arts with proven track record of learning and education work, and established partnerships or networks of schools and teachers.

2. Charitable Status

Organisations registered with The Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Scottish Charity Regulator, or The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland

• Exempt charities
• Galleries, museums, or organisations part of a Local Authority
• Galleries, museums, or organisations part of a larger charitable organisation, such as a university
• Community Interest Companies (please note additional eligibility criteria will apply)

3. Location

Your organisation must be based in England Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. The activity must benefit UK based schools, teachers, and students.

4. School partner(s)

Grants can be made to eligible art organisations and not to schools directly. However, in order to be eligible to apply, a school(s) partnership will have to be in place and confirmed by the applicant organisation, and evidence provided that the project will be managed jointly by the organisation and the partnering school(s) and teachers.

Schools’ covers: any state or academy educational institution for children 4–18 years including schools for children with special educational needs.

5. Timing

Funding will be provided no earlier than September 2023. Only expenditure that occurs after a grant is awarded can be funded, and funds cannot be applied to retrospective expenses. All specific expenditure for which the grant is requested must fall within the grant period of up to two years, although your project may have started before and/or continue beyond this period.

6. Safeguarding and Inclusion

Your organisation must have regularly reviewed safeguarding and equal access/inclusion policies.

7. Existing grantees

Organisations who have a prior or existing grant relationship with Freelands Foundation are eligible to apply to the Spring 2023 Fund. However, some additional exclusions will apply:

• You may not apply for funding for a programme that is already funded by Freelands Foundation. This includes top-up grants, or grants for expansion of a funded project currently underway that Freelands Foundation already supports.
• You may not apply for funding for a programme that has been previously declined for funding by Freelands Foundation.

Schools are not eligible to be directly funded as grantees in this round. However, if your school would like to connect with Freelands Foundation, please email their Education Team at education@freelandsfoundation.co.uk