Magherafelt District Council - Community Festival/Events Fund

Overview

The purpose of this funding is to:

• Community participation & Social Inclusion

• Long term sustainability/value for money

It follows that applications for funding must demonstrate how that funding will help build capacity within the community. The requirements of the application process are fully explained below.

Grant ‘Open for Application’ Period:

The Community Festival/Initiative Fund applications period opens with the publication of these guidelines. The application covers all events that are scheduled to take place within the period from April 2014 to March 2015. The application process will close when all funding has been allocated and spent.

Available Funding Limits:

The Community Festival/Initiative Fund will make awards at a rate of 50% of total project costs up to £500, but will not exceed this amount. The Fund will not contribute more than the total allowable costs of the project and may not award to the extent requested, or at all, even if the criteria as written is met. Magherafelt District Council cannot ‘part fund’ activities. The application must clearly state what activity the group plan to use the grant for.

Activities that the Community Festivals/Initiative Fund can support:

The Fund will consider funding the following types of Festival/Initiative and activities in the context of a Festival proposal: -

• Arts and heritage educational events, performances and exhibitions

• Other cultural events that focus on those things that contribute to, or make up the cultural identity of an area or group and celebrate its/their uniqueness

• Participatory activities that will engage the community and that relate to its sense of itself (culture and identity), and/or its sense of place and/or its relationships with other communities and with the future

• Events and other activities that seek to give the community a voice on issues as to its future and its place in the District

• Events and activities by which the community seeks to engage with its neighbours on issues of identity, shared space and future growth and development

• Events that celebrate what the community has to offer and that welcome new-comers

• Events developed by common interest groups that take forward that interest, reaching out to the further development of creativity, skills, opportunities and the development of audiences and participation (including ‘showcase’ events).

• Events (within the context of festival planning and/or delivery) that seek to establish, mobilise and motivate new partnerships for development.

• Events, within the context of festival planning, that aim to identify and promote new enterprise/business opportunities for members of the community, that might usefully be developed in support of the Festival its participants and audience.

• Initiatives must enhance the appearance and the ability of an area to increase the pride of its citizens whilst attracting visitors to the area.