**The Foundation will hold a webinar on 11 March (4pm to 5pm) and 23 March (2:30pm to 3:30pm) during which they will introduce their new report and answer questions about the new funding round. Register here.**
Aims/priorities: Grants are available to arts organisations in the UK for projects that promote the role of creativity in the lives of people with mental health problems from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Grants can fully or partially fund the work. Work should take place over at least one year and preferably longer. The work must take place in the UK. Although the funding cannot support work that is already funded, it can support the extension or expansion of work. The funding is intended to support two approaches:
- The first approach is around positive action and is to find ways to attract participatory artists from ethnically diverse communities into this area of work and to support them. Examples might include shadowing, internships or apprenticeships, or mentoring or free training opportunities. Always ensure that you stay within the guidance of what is permissible under the law for positive action. The funding can pay for reasonable legal fees for those who are unclear about what is legally permissible.
- The second is to undertake activity to offer creative opportunities to members of specific ethnically diverse communities who have mental health problems. A number of examples of such work are cited in the Foundation’s report Creatively Minded and Ethnically Diverse. The funding is not for qualified arts therapy.
Any combination of these approaches is acceptable.
Who can apply? Applications will only be considered from arts organisations who meet the following criteria:
- An established arts organisation of any kind (including museums). This could be a charity or a regulated social enterprise, such as a Community Interest Company. In this case, ‘arts organisation’ means an organisation whose primary purpose is around the arts and creativity broadly defined. Applicants working in partnership with relevant community groups and sharing resources are encouraged to apply.
- Arts organisations that have delivered creative opportunities to people with mental health problems for at least two years.
- Arts organisations that are committed to striving for racial justice in their work.
- An arts organisation which has an extensive track-record in working with ethnically diverse communities or an arts organisation with less experience but a commitment to improve.
Grant amount: Between £10,000 and £40,000 are available.
Application process: The application form and guidance notes can be found on the Baring Foundation website.
Deadline: 21 April 2021 (12pm midday).
Contact information: Email baring.foundation@ing.com
Website address: The Baring Foundation