Up to £9K in grants available to West Midlands Creative Freelancers: applications now open
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has launched a new grant programme, “Activate Skills Development Grants,” aimed at empowering creative freelancers and small companies in the region.
The initiative, offering grants between £1,000 and £9,000, seeks to unlock skills and provide future growth and development opportunities for individual artists, freelancers, micro-enterprises, and small organisations across the creative and cultural sectors.
What are Activate Skills Development Grants?
Activate Skills Development Grants are designed to support a range of continuing professional development needs. The programme is open to all types of skills development and continuous professional development (CPD) from any specific discipline within the creative and cultural sectors.
Who is Eligible?
Applicants can be at any stage of their creative careers, from emerging to established practitioners. However, they must meet the following criteria:
- Be a freelancer or a small organisation operating within the creative or cultural sectors
- Be based in the West Midlands
- Be able to complete all funded activities by 13 December 2024
Key Dates:
- Briefing session: Friday, August 30, 2024, 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
- Applications open: Friday, August 30, 2024
- Applications close: Wednesday, September 18, 2024, 11:50 PM
- Grant award notifications: early October
- Activity to be completed by: Friday, December 13, 2024
About the Programme
Activate grants is part of the broader ACTIVATE programme, which has been launched to support freelancers, micro, and small organizations in the West Midlands Creative and Cultural sectors. The program aims to fund skills development projects and support the development of skills across the region.
The WMCA is presenting the Activate Skills Development Grants in partnership with Smarter Society and Culture Central.
How to Apply
Interested applicants are encouraged to visit the WMCA website for further information and to access the application portal.