Applications open for £150,000 civic arts award

Cultural organisations from across the UK have been invited to apply for funding for projects that help transform communities.

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation's Award for Civic Arts Organisations was established in 2020 as a response to the impact of the pandemic and offers a total of £150,000 to organisations that are helping to transform communities.

This year’s award will be on the theme of “co-creating the future”, with the aim of funding projects that ignite joy, hope, compassion and energy, improve wellbeing, forge new connections, or develops solutions.

“In difficult times, it’s more important than ever that art and culture are available to everyone,” said Louisa Hooper, Director of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s UK branch. 

“By prioritising co-creation, this year we’re looking to recognise organisations that create lasting change by working with and in communities to address their needs and concerns, deepen relationships and use arts and creativity to enable positive change.”

Recipients of previous editions of the award include the first studio sanctuary for asylum seekers in the UK, established at The Art House in Wakefield, and a collective of neurodivergent artists and activists based in Hastings.

The award “is vitally important in encouraging and rewarding genuine engagement and co-creation with local communities”, said Baroness Bull, Chair of the award panel.

“In the years since the award was founded, we’ve seen hundreds of entries from organisations across the UK demonstrating a commitment to changing lives through art.”