Individuals and community groups offered Arts Council grants advice

Ashfield artist Nic Gear at a gallery exhibiting pieces from his Conversation with Lines collectionAshfield artist Nic Gear exhibiting pieces from his Conversation with Lines collection at Nottingham’s Surface Gallery last year. He received an Arts Council National Lottery Project Grant of £4,500 from Arts Council England to support the visual art project
© artofgear.co.uk.

A free event to help applicants navigate the Arts Council’s National Lottery Grants process is being held in Kirkby in Ashfield. Arts Council England expects to award a total of £639.7 million each year between 2024 and 2026. This includes £116.8 million of National Lottery funding each year in Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants, its open-access funding programme.

The free advice evening will help community groups and individuals involved with creative projects and based or working anywhere in Ashfield to apply for up to £30,000 of funding. This is the lowest level of Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants and the easiest to apply for.

In the last financial year, Arts Council England distributed more than £78,500 to four recipients in the Ashfield district. Neal Pike received £24,837 for research and development for The Walk; Benjamin Element received ££27,251 for Blud Badge Bunch; Nic Gear received £4,500 for Conversation with Lines; and Focused Creators received £22,000 for Rhythms & Roots.

Next month’s event is organised by First Arts, a charity that works with communities across Ashfield, Bolsover, Mansfield, and North East Derbyshire “to make inspiring arts and cultural things happen.”

It will take place on Thursday 9 May between 6.00 pm and 8.00 pm at the Summit Centre in Pavilion Road, Kirkby. Participants will find out more about Arts Council England National Lottery Grants and receive tips and advice for writing applications. It will also be an opportunity to meat other creatives and community groups in the area and an opportunity to Sign up for one-to-one support with an application.

Spaces are limited and pre-booking is required. More information is available at firstart.org.uk or by email: .