Although it may seem otherwise, there are several different options to choose from. Admittedly, it’s not easy, but remember you are not alone!
The most obvious path to take would be to request funding from a charitable organisation. This can be a long and arduous process, and only a small percentage of applications are successful. You must therefore display considerable motivation and creativity in your proposal, and your project needs to show real potential.
The most reliable and widely used source of funding for arts projects in England is the Arts Council England which offers ‘Grants for the arts’, funded by the National Lottery. To find out whether you are eligible and to submit your application, you will need to register online, fill in an application form and write a proposal about why you need support. The minimum grant is £1,000, and the maximum £100,000. The time taken to process the funding varies accordingly: it’s six working weeks to process applications for £10,000 or less, and 12 working weeks for applications of more than £10,000.
Please feel free to tell us if you know of any others!
Alternatively, you could try Crowdfunding, a more stress-free way of financing your project by posting it online, spreading the word through your network of friends and proposing rewards in return for donations. For more information on this type of funding, see ‘A brief history of Crowdfunding’. Take a look at the projects posted on Ulule for ideas, and read about all the projects successfully funded. And of course please don’t hesitate to post any questions or comments below.