UKSPF CultureDale: Year of Culture 2024 Community Fund

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From now until 16th October 2023 business in North and Central Halifax are able to apply for £500 - £8,000 grants to fund projects to feature in the CultureDale 2024 project.

The fund is part of the West Yorkshire UKSPF Programme.

It will support organisations and practitioners to deliver a broad and exciting range of work to engage people living in North and Central Halifax.

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Who are we looking for? Applicants who wish to develop projects that will feed into the Year of Culture through exhibitions, performance, events and continued activity.

The purpose: encourage collaboration and new partnerships, engage with and bring residents together.

Collaboration can be in the form of: 

• Two practitioners collaborating for the first time
• An organisation working with a specific demographic or group they have not previously reached out to
• A community group funding a freelance artist to run workshops
• And other collaboration opportunities

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What projects are we looking for? 

• Based in North of Central Halifax
• Start before March 2024
• Have a clear plan for how they project and legacy will feed into or contribute to the Year of Culture 2024
• Demonstrate clear partnership and collaborative work
• Engage new audiences
• Have a clear understanding of the needs, interests, and barriers faced by audiences when engaging with creative and cultural activity
• Demonstrate inclusive and accessible ways of working
• Support volunteering, co-creation, and active participation
• Help foster a sense of local pride and belonging
• Provide new skills or opportunities for residents
• Support the wellbeing and happiness of local people
• Improve access to culture, heritage, and arts in North and Central Halifax
• Enhance the area with public art, murals, and planting and gardening
• Support the growth of the cultural community
• Strengthen or build on the applicant’s operations and sustainability
• That could not otherwise happen, or enables a project to be larger or of greater quality

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Who can apply?

• Individual artists or artistic cooperatives – NB: these must be trading as businesses/sole traders, we cannot fund individuals
• Freelance practitioners
• Community groups
• Charities or trusts
• Community interest companies
• Social enterprises
• Public sector organisations (not local authorities)
• Private sector organisations
• Organisations that are part of a local authority’s direct provision will be considered on a case-by-case basis
• Applicants must live or be based in Calderdale

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How to apply: 

You can access the application form here.

We encourage you to get in touch. If you would like to discuss your project, have any questions about the process, or need some help completing your application please get in touch with:

Kayleigh Boyle, Cultural Programme Manager kayleigh.boyle@calderdale.gov.uk, and Rob Billson, Grants Manager, CFFC, rob@cffc.co.uk

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What's the timeline?

Open: 4th September 2023

Close: 12.00 noon on 16th October 2023

Pre-Assessment: up to 6th November 2023

Panel: up to 20^th November 2023

Decision sign off: 27 November 2023

Notification/acceptance/payments: before Friday 22nd December 2023

Funded projects have to be completed and grants spent by end of March 2025

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About the Year of Culture: 

The Year of Culture is set to be an inclusive, accessible serious of workshops and events that represents our residents and showcases the talent of the borough. There will be opportunity for people to have their say, co-create projects, share their story and interact with culture in Calderdale.

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To do this, we need to be able to centre our local residents in the creation and delivery of CultureDale, support local artists and organisations and elevate current work and support audience development for those already working with our communities. We will also look to encourage new partnerships, support young people to get creative and create projects that tackle loneliness and isolation, mental health and wellbeing, engage underserved and marginalised people and encourage physical activity.

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CultureDale's Cultural Strategy 5 Priorities: 

• A Larger Creative Life: Each and every person has culture and creativity woven into the fabric of their lives – whatever their age – the delight and inspire happier, healthier lives.

• Creative Citizens: Every community is empowered to grow and sustain its own cultural capacity – bringing to life the unique identity of each place and community.

• A Resilient Valley: The cultural sector inspires creative and regenerative actions to rebuild a sustainable future.

• Distinctly Calderdale: Businesses and visitors are attracted by the vibrancy of the cultural offer, strong sense of identity and creative possibilities.

• A Thriving Cultural Scene: The sector – its people and organisations – is invested in so that it flourishes and plays a unique, dynamic and effective role in wider society.

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