Other/Bursary

Extraordinary Grants

From time to time we award extraordinary grants to exceptional projects which require funds that fall outside our standard grants categories.  For more information please contact our grants team on 01908 690276.

NEW for 2009 - Arts Bursary

We are delighted to now offer an annual Arts Bursary which will give an emerging artist the opportunity to further develop their artistic skills, or the freedom to concentrate on a new body of work. By providing funding to buy equipment, for training or travel, to rent a work space or simply cover living costs, these bursaries are designed to help and support artists and encourage artistic endeavours in Milton Keynes.

Since April 2007, the Foundation has awarded £302,000 to different arts projects - almost one quarter of the Foundation's grant-making has gone to support the arts in Milton Keynes.

Am I eligible to apply?

The Foundation accepts applications from artists who meet the following criteria:

• Artists who have been resident within the Milton Keynes Unitary Authority for at least the last 12 months;

• Artists who can provide evidence that they have considerable potential for future development;

• Emerging artists who do not derive their primary income from their artwork.

 What can I use the funding for?

• The Foundation will award bursaries to artists from a wide range of mediums and forms, and for a variety of purposes, including but not exclusively:
• To pay for equipment, materials, space, facilities, training, travel or other resources required to develop art practice or a body of work;
• To ‘buy’ your time by covering living costs, enabling an artist to reduce their hours of employment to provide a greater opportunity to focus on developing their artistic practice or a body of work.

We do not accept applications from:

• Artists who have not been legally resident within the Milton Keynes Unitary Authority for at least the past 12 months;
• Artists who are already established professionally, either locally, regionally or nationally.
• Projects that are already in progress;
• Projects that have already been completed (retrospective funding); 
• Fundraising events;
• Projects or events that are primarily competitive in nature, or entries for competitive events.

Timescales

• All Proposals must be able to start within 6 months of the bursary being awarded.
• All projects, once started, should be planned to run for no more than 12 months.

Sometimes an individual may be eligible to apply, but the work they want us to fund does not fit into our criteria. It is important to be sure that BOTH you and your proposed work are eligible.As this is an annual award, next deadline is Spring 2010.

Please download an application form and guidelines

If you are unsure about whether you can apply, or have any questions about the application process, please call the grants team on 01908 690276.