Funding, Opportunities and Culture Jobs
Below we will outline the currently available funding, opportunities and culture jobs available in the city. Applications for individual grants should be with the organisations listed. To stay up to date with the latest opportunities then please make sure you are signed up to receive our Culture Hull newsletter
JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Hull City Council Artist Brief – High Street Accelerator – Utility Wrapping
The High Street Accelerator Partnership is working with Hull City Council Arts Development team to commission artwork to be used to cover utility boxes on Beverley Road.
You are invited to express an interest in this project by providing examples of your existing work and a written expression of interest. There will be no fee payable for this stage of the process.
A set fee of £500.00 will be payable to the selected Artist/s for each design. There are 3 boxes we require a design for.
Timeline:
Closing date for expressions of Interest – Friday 30 May 2025
Artist selected notified – Monday 9 June 2025
Final designs to be submitted by Monday 30 June 2025
Designs installed by Friday 18 July 2025
Background:
Utility wrapping involves covering the utility boxes with designs to enhance their appearance and improve the aesthetics of the area.
There are already several sites across the city where designs have been successfully installed. We have identified three further sites within the Stepney area that could be enhanced. All of the cabinets are owned and managed by Hull City Council.
The Vision:
To introduce sustainable, innovative, artwork in public spaces, utilising existing street furniture located on Hull City Council’s adopted highways, specifically ITS traffic signal and CCTV cabinets.
Specially commissioned artwork aims to assist the animation and enhancement of the streetscape.
These interventions are intended to be bright, fun and to create a sense of place in an otherwise workaday environment.
The three boxes are within a conservation area therefore the designs must preserve or enhance the character of the area, e.g. depict some historic references to Beverley Road; reflect the character and people, embracing the cultural richness and/or the environment such as highlighting a safe, attractive, welcoming, and green community.
Email StepneyHighStreetAccelerator@hullcc.gov.uk for the full brief.
If you have any questions regarding this, please contact Sam Lambert on 01482 615039.
Classical Music Consultation Brief
Hull City Council is working with Hull Culture and Leisure to develop music in the city, and as part of this we are seeking a dynamic and knowledgeable consultant to help us understand the classical music ecology of Hull.
The brief is to review the ecology of classical music and for the purposes of this brief, we are including orchestral, chamber, organ, opera, choral, brass bands, and organ music. There are two strands to the work, one to understand the sector and the audience demand for classical music, and secondly to understand in more detail the City Hall’s potential for classical music and building audiences.
This work builds on Hull’s strengths and successes and underpins the new Culture and Heritage Strategy vision to be a leading progressive city for community-led culture and heritage. The activity also delivers on ambition six of the city’s ten year Community Plan, ‘Our Culture, Our Heritage, Our City’.
Download the brief now to find out more.
Submissions must be made to music@hullcc.gov.uk by noon Monday 26th May.
UNTHINKABLE “SUBMIT YOUR FILM!!!
Unthinkable are now open for film submissions and they are looking for entrants from first time and experienced filmmakers alike. There are no boundaries or expectations. They are looking for films with an original flare in some capacity, which can be through direction, acting, lighting, script writing, anything goes! The only criteria are that films must be under 20 minutes. Films can be submitted for submission through their FilmFreeway page.
For any questions regarding film submission, please email submissions@unthinkablefilmfestival.com
Festival information
Unthinkable is a Hull-based short film festival setup as a CIO charity. They run an annual festival every October to provide a platform for grassroots artists in Hull through curating events that converge with cinema to support the future of film and visual arts in Hull.
This year from October 1st – 12th, Unthinkable will be hosting another exciting programme of film screenings, local and professional artist Q&As, filmmaking and music workshops, industry professional masterclasses and mentorships, arts exhibitions, and live music. Unthinkable short film submissions are open to the public via their FilmFreeway page for a chance to screen your film on the silver screen in the heart of Hull City Centre!
Please visit their FilmFreeway page for more film submission details.
For more information on all things Unthinkable Film Festival, please visit their website.
Hull Music Hub – Hull’s Musical Timeline
Hull has a long history of music making going back to the middle ages! This timeline, initially developed by Hull History Centre, enables you a read more about Hull’s rich music heritage.
And they now want to hear from YOU!
Do you have information, memories or reminiscences about musicians, ensembles, bands or events that are currently not recorded?
Drop them a line so that this timeline can continue to grow and develop.
Email: music.service@hullcc.gov.uk
Find the timeline on their website.
International Writing Prize Offers Platform for Emerging Talent
The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is accepting submissions from writers worldwide, offering an opportunity to gain recognition and showcase their work to industry leaders. The competition is open to both emerging and established writers, with no age or nationality restrictions.
Two categories are available: Poetry and Short Fiction. Poetry entries must not exceed 40 lines, while short fiction submissions are capped at 2,000 words.
The winners in each category will receive a £2,500 cash prize, with a total prize fund of £5,000. Additionally, selected entries will be published in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual, providing further exposure for entrants.
This international award highlights outstanding literary talent and supports creative voices by offering a platform for their work.
Entries must be submitted by 31 August 2025.
Check out their website for more information.
FUNDING
Hull City Council Grants to Arts
You may be eligible to apply for a grant of up to £5,000 if you are organising an activity that
- is within the Hull city boundary and open to the public
- serves an identified interest group
- increases the range of art opportunities available to local communities
- supports and celebrates cultural diversity
- develops local artistic talent
- promotes innovation and excellence
Details of the grants scheme and the online form can be found on the Hull City Council website.
Please do talk to the Arts Development team who can advise you before making an application. You can contact them by completing the online form or by emailing cityartsenquiries@hullcc.gov.uk
Garfield Weston Foundation
Supporting charities who work in welfare, youth, community, environment, education, health, arts, heritage and faith.
The fund is open to registered charities.
The foundation covers:
Capital costs – such as building works or repairs, or equipment that’s necessary to your organisation’s work.
Project costs – specific project or area of your work which fit the foundations priorities.
Core costs – operating/Core cost grants towards the general costs of running your organisation.
They have two grant streams:
Regular Grants – up to £100,000
Major Grants – £100,000 and above
Check out their website for more information.
BFI Creative Challenge Fund Supports UK Talent Development Programmes
The British Film Institute is accepting applications to the National Lottery Creative Challenge Fund for UK-based organisations delivering creative or talent development programmes. The funding aims to support projects in feature film and narrative immersive media, including narrative, documentary and animation.
The fund is designed to address challenges within the screen industry such as underrepresentation of certain genres, lack of early career producer opportunities and limited support for scalable projects with broad audience potential.
A total of £2.7 million is available over a three-year period. Applicants can request between £12,000 and £150,000. Eligible costs include staff and freelance fees, participant payments, venue and equipment hire, travel, creative practice sessions, mentoring and access provision. Reasonable overheads not already funded from other public sources are also eligible.
Applications are open to organisations across the UK with a track record in delivering professional or creative development work. These include production companies, film festivals, limited companies, CICs, partnerships, registered charities, local authorities and other statutory bodies. For-profit organisations may apply if the funded work is not-for-profit.
All funded work must be completed by 31 March 2026.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but must be submitted at least 16 weeks before the planned start of activity.
Check out their website for more information.
Government Commits £180m to Improve Youth Outcomes
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced a new National Youth Strategy that aims to break down barriers to opportunities for the country’s young people.
The new strategy is expected to prioritise delivering better coordinated youth services and policy at a local, regional and national level and hand power back to young people and their communities.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced that:
• More than £85 million will support more youth facilities, including £26 million for youth clubs to buy new equipment and undertake renovations via the Better Youth Spaces programme.
• £100 million from the next tranche of the Dormant Assets scheme will be used to deliver youth outcomes between 2024 and 2028 to support the provision of services, facilities and opportunities for young people across the country. Further details on what the £100 million can support ‘will be set out in due course through the publication of the Dormant Assets Strategy’.
The government said it will be:
• Launching a Local Youth Transformation pilot to provide tools, guidance, peer challenge and funding to help local authorities rejuvenate local youth services.
• Expanding the Creative Careers Programme for new opportunities to access careers in the arts and invest further in multi-sport facilities that provides young people access to quality sports facilities.
The Culture Secretary also announced as part of the plans for the new national youth strategy, the closure from March 2025 of the National Citizen Service (NCS) programme which was set up by the David Cameron’s government in 2011 as part of its “big society” agenda to bring together local communities by helping young people. The NCS Trust which has been managing the programme since 2013 has issued a statement on the closure.
Full details of the Government’s announcement can be found in its press release published on GOV.UK
Postcode Places Trust (East of England) Open for Applications
Back for another year, the Postcode Places Trust is supporting organisations across the East of England with unrestricted funding in 2025.
The funding is for projects in the region that have a clear alignment with one of the Trust’s 2025 themes:
- Enabling participation in physical activity
- Enabling participation in the arts
- Improving biodiversity and responding to the climate emergency
- Improving green spaces and increasing access to the outdoors
- Preventing or reducing the impact of poverty
- Providing support to improve mental health
- Supporting marginalised groups and tackling inequality
Depending on their not-for-profit legal structure, organisations can apply either for a grant of between £500 and £2,500 or between £500 and £25,000.
The funding offered is unrestricted and therefore flexible. It can be used however it is most needed.
There are three funding rounds in 2025:
- Round 1 opened 24 March and closed 31 March 2025.
- Round 2 opens 24 June and closes 1 July 2025.
- Round 3: dates to be confirmed later in 2025
Applications open at 9am and close at 12 noon.
Application forms will be available on the Trust’s website when each funding round opens.
The 2025 funding guide and 2025 application questions are available on the Trust’s website.
Check out their website for more information.
Jerwood Fund
Open to arts organisations to support projects and activities that make the arts available to the public.
The aim of this fund is to support organisations that focus on making art available for public benefit and emerging talent in the arts.
Applicants can apply for projects and activities that support the promotion of the arts for public benefit.
Deadline: Wednesday 28 May
Check out their website for more information.
Creative Funding Offered for Education, Communities and Individuals Across the UK
Applications are being accepted for grant funding to support creative projects, organisations and individuals across the UK. The initiative is delivered by the Hugo Burge Foundation and will run two funding rounds in 2025, with the first open throughout May.
The funding is structured around three strands. Creative Education supports projects that provide people aged 0 to 29 with opportunities to engage in creative activities. Creative Communities focuses on organisations, festivals and community groups delivering cultural and arts-based events locally. Creative Individuals is for artists, writers and craftspeople pursuing independent work.
Grants of up to £15,000 are available for projects under the Creative Education and Creative Communities strands. Under the Creative Individuals strand, grants of up to £5,000 are available.
Applicants may include individuals, schools, arts organisations, community groups and festivals. In the first round of funding under the Creative Individuals strand, applications will only be accepted from artists based in Scotland. Eligible expenditure includes field trips, community cultural events, materials for student engagement and the development of new creative work.
The deadline for applications is Saturday 31 May 2025.
Check out their website for more information.
Henry Moore Foundation Accepting Applications for Spring 2025 Funding Round
Grants are available for not-for-profit organisations for projects and activities that promote the growth and development of sculpture across historical, modern, and contemporary registers, and research that expands the appreciation of sculpture.
The Henry Moore Foundation offers funding in the following categories:
New projects and commissions: Grants of up to £20,000 to encourage new thinking about sculpture or sculpture history or contribute to public awareness and appreciation of sculpture.
Acquisitions and collections: Grants of up to £20,000 for museums and galleries to acquire or conserve sculpture for their collections, cataloguing, and display costs.
Research and development:
Long-term grants of up to £20,000 for projects that require funding for more than one year, such as a permanent collection catalogue.
Small research grants of up to £2,500 for academics, curators, and independent scholars for research costs on the history and interpretation of sculpture.
Conferences, lectures, and publications: Grants of up to £5000 to publish a new book or journal, or to stage a conference or other event related to sculpture.
There are typically four deadlines per year. This funding round is for projects starting, or opening to the public, no sooner than 1 October 2025.
The next deadline for applications is Sunday 1 June 2025 (23:00).
Check out their website for more information.
British Council Offers Support to Design Biennales and Festivals
Biennales and festivals are invited to apply for grants of up to £10,000 through a British Council support programme.
The programme, active since 2016, is intended to help organisations facilitate cross-border engagement in the design sector and strengthen international creative networks. The programme supports the presentation of completed work in architecture, design, fashion and craft, including interdisciplinary projects.
Applications are open to UK-based biennales and festivals that plan to showcase work by international designers, excluding those based in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Applications are also accepted from international biennales and festivals, outside the listed countries, that intend to showcase UK-based designers.
The funding may be used to support exhibition building, travel, presentation of work, networking and professional development.
The deadline for applications is Sunday 1 June 2025 (23:59).
Check out their website for further information.
Arts Programme Supports Sustainable Touring Across England, Denmark and Norway
A seminar-led initiative is offering project funding to support sustainable and inclusive international touring practices in the performing arts.
Organised through the International Touring and Environmental Responsibility Programme, it is open to venues, touring companies and individuals in the dance, music and theatre sectors based in England.
Participants must form partnerships with professionals in Denmark or Norway to be eligible for funding.
The initiative begins with two free seminar series held in 2025. These will explore environmentally responsible and equitable approaches to international collaboration. Following the seminars, attendees may submit joint proposals for projects shaped during the sessions.
Successful partnerships will receive up to £40,000 to develop and deliver their proposed concepts. Funding may be used for activities such as creating artistic content, testing new presentation or distribution models, or research and development. Selected projects will begin in January 2026.
To be eligible for the funding round, applicants must have completed one of the seminar programmes and formed a partnership with at least one participant from Denmark or Norway. Applications for the funding round will open on 26 September 2025 and close on 28 November 2025.
The deadline for applications to the programme is Wednesday 4 June 2025 (5pm).
Check out their website for more information.
Radcliffe Trust Accepting Applications for Second 2025 Funding Round
Radcliffe Trust is offering grants averaging between £2,500 and £7,500 for charities, not-for-profit groups, and exempt organisations across the UK to support projects in the areas of music or heritage and crafts.
For music projects, the Trust will consider projects in the following categories:
• Composition and contemporary music – in the case of commission applications, the lead composer must be named.
• Bursaries for courses and summer schools (limited to UK-based students).
• Music therapy and special needs.
• Academic research.
• Youth orchestras.
• Performance projects.
• Educational projects – excluding applications from individual mainstream primary and secondary schools.
• Miscellaneous.
For heritage and crafts projects, the Trust will support the development of the skills, knowledge and experience that underpin the UK’s traditional cultural heritage and crafts sectors. This includes support for:
• Emerging craftspeople.
• Craft and conservation projects and training.
• Projects demonstrating creative outcomes by designer-makers.
• Projects with potential for capacity building within the sector.
• Special needs projects focusing on the therapeutic benefits of skills development.
Other areas of cultural creativity related to heritage and crafts may also be considered, including theatre, performance, and literature, especially where projects can be shown to promote and develop high-level skills among early career practitioners and disadvantaged groups.
There are typically two rounds per year, with trustee meetings held in June and December. Groups can apply for Music and Heritage & Crafts grants in the same funding round.
The next deadline for applications is Thursday 31 July 2025.
Check out their website for more information.
Michael Tippett Musical Foundation Accepting Applications for 2025
The Michael Tippett Musical Foundation is offering grants of between £500 and £3,000 for groups across the UK to support the following objectives:
To award grants to support the development of group music-making especially involving young people, with composing central to the project.
To support the performance or recording of works by Michael Tippet.
In 2023 and 2024 the Trustees decided to focus the Foundation’s activity exclusively on the funding of performances and recording of music by Michael Tippett, to generate greater revenue for a wider range of activities in future years. This will remain the case in 2025.
The Trustees will consider applications about any of his compositions but are likely to prioritise plans for specific works that are less frequently performed or projects which are unlikely to be mounted without additional financial support.
Successful projects should commence January 2026.
The deadline for applications is Tuesday 30 September 2025.
Check out their website for more information.
Help Musicians Fast Track
Help Musicians Fast Track provides £500 as an investment to help grow or sustain your income from music, or to help you gain a career opportunity.
Check out their website for more information.
Two Ridings Community Foundation – Hull Fund
A new Community Fund for Hull is available now.
Check out their website for more information.
Applications are now open for the Unlimited UK Partner Awards!
Together with 11 UK partners, Unlimited are delighted to offer awards ranging from £15k to £60k for artists to create extraordinary new work that captivates, inspires, and deepens understanding.
Check out their website for more information.
Blue Spark Foundation
Aiming to support education and development of children and young people by providing grants for educational, cultural, sporting and other projects.
This fund is open to schools, community groups, clubs, societies or other not for profit organisations. However, individuals may also apply for a grant.
The foundation asks that applications must state exactly what the grant will be used for e.g. physical assets (such as sports equipment, or lighting for stage productions), services or facilities (such as music or drama tuition) or the provision of experiences (such as theatre visits). These examples are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive as to the funding which BlueSpark may provide to support projects.
Projects can be educational, cultural, sporting or other activities but particular consideration will be given to those that help the self-confidence, team working skills and future employability of children and young people.
Check out their website for more information.
Goodwin’s Create to Change
Goodwin is looking for businesses working within the creative and cultural sectors to offer placements to young people and adults ages 16-65 years of age.
Create to Change offers businesses staff for 10 weeks at 25 hours per week.
- Goodwin will pay the wages for the person on placement
- Businesses will interview candidates and there is no obligation to take them on, if you find the candidate suitable please do offer them a placement.
- Goodwin will work with candidates for 2 weeks before they apply for roles which will ensure we are sending people who are work ready.
- The project will have a dedicated business engagement worker and keyworker who will support the business and candidate on placement, throughout and post placement.
- Business breakfasts – chance for all placement providers and potential placement provides to get together, chat to young people and Goodwin staff and receive support from third party organisations around business growth and support.
if you would like more information, please contact Zoe on 07593136045 or email ZSivell@goodwintrust.org
Hull 4 Funding
Hull 4 Funding is a Community Portal funded by Hull City Council to provide free funding information for local not-for-profit organisations and gives access to thousands of funding opportunities including for arts and cultural organisations.
Register to access Home | Hull 4 Funding (idoxopen4community.co.uk)
Maker Relief Fund Supports UK Craftspeople in Need
The Maker Relief Fund is offering grants to UK-based professional craftspeople facing financial hardship.
Grants of £1,000 will be awarded to 50 eligible applicants over the course of a year, starting in November 2024 and running through to the end of October 2025.
These grants are intended to provide flexible financial support, allowing recipients to use the funds without restrictions.
Practising professional craftspeople are eligible to apply if they identify with one or more of the following groups:
- Individuals on low incomes.
- Working-class people.
- Black and ethnically diverse people (including Gypsy, Roma, and Travellers).
- People with disabilities, neurodiversity or those managing chronic physical or mental health issues.
- LGBTQIA+ individuals.
- People with caring responsibilities.
The initiative aims to support these people in sustaining their careers during times of financial difficulty.
Applications can be submitted at any time until the end of October 2025.
Check out their website for more information.
Foyle Foundation’s Grants Programme to End in 2025
The Foyle Foundation, an independent grant-making trust that distributes grants to UK based registered charities and schools, has announced that it will complete its grant giving programme in 2025. Visit their website to find out more
Arts Council England Funding
Grants are open to individuals as well as organisations. Funding opportunities can support a range of activity, from a one-off project to your personal development as a creative or cultural practitioner. These include:
National Lottery Project Grants
National Lottery Project Grants supports thousands of individual artists, and community and cultural organisations with arts, libraries and museums projects. It’s open all the time and you can apply for grants between £1,000 and £100,000.
Developing Your Creative Practice
This fund supports individual cultural and creative practitioners ready to take their work to the next stage through things such as: research, time to create new work, travel, training, developing ideas, networking or mentoring. You can apply for up to £12,000.
Check out their website for more information as well as information about other open grants.
Schroder Charity Trust
The Trust will consider applications from charities registered in England & Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland in the fields of Education & Young People, Communities, Environment & Conservation, Health, Arts & Culture, International Development, Heritage, and Supporting the Armed Forces.
Check out their website for more information.
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