Welcome to the latest edition of the Vibrant Shropshire newsletter.
We want to highlight some of the great opportunities and projects happening across Shropshire's cultural sector.
If you have something you would like to share in future newsletters such as a job opportunity, funding, or a success story, do let us know by emailing culturalcompact@shropshire.gov.uk
Make sure to check out the Cultural Funding Opportunities at the end of the newsletter.
If you think this newsletter might be of interest to someone you know, please forward it onto them. To make sure you get this newsletter every month, subscribe here.
 Workshop: Evaluation in Action
Location: Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery
Date: Tuesday 3rd December
Time: 1:00 - 4:00pm
Price: FREE
Vibrant Shropshire Partners are invited to a workshop at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery on project evaluation.
Project evaluation is important. It can help you:
- measure the successes and failures of your project
- prove the value of what you do
- record the impact of your work
- improve on your project for next time
Evidence from effective project evaluation can also be used to support future funding applications.
Join Culture & Heritage Development Manager, Fay Bailey, and Heritage Evaluation Consultant, Kate Rodenhurst for a FREE half day workshop to help you define and refine your own evaluation project. You’ll have an opportunity to tour their most recent exhibition and experience the range of evaluation methods on offer at the museum.
During the workshop you will find out more about some of the innovative techniques that the team are using to evaluate customers' thoughts and feedback.
Funded via ACE National Portfolio funding, Creative consultants Barker Langham have worked with the team at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery (SM&AG), to conduct an extensive community consultation and develop a radical new interpretive masterplan for the museum. The reimagined museum will create many more opportunities for communities to engage with the buildings and collections, via co-created displays, volunteering, learning programmes and creative activities.
SM&AG's new, temporary Deep History exhibition, Sun and Fire – Life and Death at the Dawn of History, offers an opportunity to trial some of the themes and concepts we may wish to explore in a reimagined museum and to gather essential feedback.
Book now below.
Please note: you must be a Vibrant Shropshire partner to attend this event. If you are not already a partner, please sign up for FREE here before you book for this event.
 Vibrant Shropshire is pleased to announce 'Celebrating Shropshire', a new commission for an innovative programme of cultural activities that enable rural communities across Shropshire to participate in culture. It is aimed at Shropshire-based entities to deliver the programme of cultural activity.
You are invited to propose an exciting and innovative programme of cultural activities that engages rural communities and focuses on ‘celebrating Shropshire’ whether it be its heritage, natural landscapes, cultural scene or something else entirely.
Budget: £13,000
Project duration: January to March 2025
The deadline for applications is 12 noon on Monday 16th December 2024.
This commission is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and administered by Shropshire Council.
Find out more about the commission brief here:
For any enquiries please email Alice Machin, the Cultural Compact Officer, on culturalcompact@shropshire.gov.uk
 Shropshire Council has secured funding from UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to support visitor economy businesses across Shropshire
Part of the funding is to support free training and consultancy for visitor economy businesses which includes:
- Free Emergency First Aid at Work
- Food Safety Level 2
Courses are being held across the county
To be eligible you must match the following criteria:
- Be a business trading in the Shropshire Council postcode area
- Be a business or a charity with a trading company
- Be a business involved in the visitor economy directly or indirectly, such as:
- Accommodation provider
- Hospitality
- Attraction
- Outdoor activity provider
- Independent shop
- Transport provider
- Support service
- Performance space
- Craft/art gallery or shop
- Creative studio open to the public
- Heritage site
To book please click the button below. There is only one place per business.
The Visitor Economy team are also offering free access reviews to small-or medium-sized venues. Larger venues may be eligible for either free or subsidised support.
Working with Visit England and AccessAble, we're offering the opportunity to have a review of your accessibility for visitors who have access issues and needs. The review will be undertaken with qualified surveyors who will guide you through the process. You'll receive a listing on AccessAble's website, which received six million unique visitors last year, as well as guidance and training on how to welcome guests and market your venue to those with access issues.
There's also online training to help and guide you.
Interested? If you want to know more please email pauline.jones@shropshire.gov.uk To be eligible for this support you need to meet the same criteria as detailed above.
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Vibrant Shropshire awarded Upstart Projects a grant through the Small Grants Scheme to run a Young Reviewers programme for young people in Shropshire.
The grant scheme is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Twenty three Shropshire students were given the opportunity to go behind the scenes of some of the county’s most important arts organisations in a project supported by Vibrant Shropshire. One of Vibrant Shropshire’s priorities is to overcome barriers to participation in culture, particularly among young people, so the application for funding for “Shropshire Young Reviewers” from Upstart Projects’ Voice Magazine was a perfect fit. Voice is a platform for young creatives covering arts, culture, politics and technology. More than just a magazine, Voice acts as a training ground for young people interested in arts and media careers and a catalyst for developing a youth voice across the cultural sector.
In two groups, students from Shrewsbury Colleges Group and Ludlow College attended a series of workshops and visits to BBC Radio Shropshire, Theatre Severn, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, Arts Alive, My Shrewsbury, Nerdy Café Shrewsbury (the gamers’ café) and a podcast studio. The project supported young people to visit local arts provision, of any kind, and then to articulate their views about it. “It opened their eyes to what is available to their age group.”, explained Diana Walton of Voice, “Previously only one of the Ludlow students had ever been inside the Ludlow Assembly Rooms, even though it is just across the road from the College.”
It strengthened the reviewers’ confidence at experiencing art and performance, working out what they think about it, building critical judgment and learning the journalistic techniques to express their opinions. In addition, the students were introduced to people working in the cultural sector in a variety of roles from producing, performing, marketing, podcasting, broadcasting and journalism, enabling them to discover what career opportunities exist in the area. One participant said:
‘I truly loved every moment of it. I do hope that you continue to do these projects because it gives the people opportunities in various ways: writing, confidence, different arts events, technical skills, insight into journalism and the arts, communication, independence and creativity.’
Apart from the development of the students’ skills and access, the project had other achievements. It built upon the relationships between the Colleges, engaged with providers of arts and creative venues, and it opened the eyes (and the doors) of cultural organisations to the value of young people as not only a potential audience but also as suppliers of content and future employees. My Shrewsbury, the lifestyle magazine, offered an apprenticeship which was taken up by one of the students; another is now on the ‘press list’ at Theatre Severn, receiving free tickets in exchange for published reviews. The initiative from Voice was clearly welcomed by the organisations involved with the visits and workshops who gave willingly of staff time and resources. Their feedback included:
‘Theatre Severn are proud to support the Young Arts Reviewers group through supplying review tickets for various shows at the venue. The review tickets provide young people with the opportunity to engage in live performance, as well as developing and improving their writing skills. The feedback from a young reviewer can also be invaluable to both arts venues and touring theatre companies who are striving to develop a younger audience.’
Beki Poole, Marketing Manager, Theatre Severn
Regarding a legacy from the work, Voice is planning to work with Ludlow College, Ludlow Assembly Rooms and Arts Alive, and Diana is hoping the project will be a catalyst for stronger bonds between the arts and education with, perhaps, arts venues running open days for school visits.
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 Are you aged 16 – 30, based in the West Midlands and interested in writing? Would you like to write your own script and see your work performed on stage? You can apply now to take part in Young Writers: Local, Pentabus Theatre’s highly acclaimed scriptwriting course.
During this free course, participants will be guided and supported by experienced scriptwriters and a professional director to develop a new short script. This will then be performed on stage by professional actors. You don’t need to have any previous experience of playwriting, as this programme is aimed at young people who may not know they’re writers yet, as well as those who have some experience of writing. Young Writers: Local runs between February – July 2025, with 10 sessions taking place online and in-person in Ludlow (Shropshire).
Sessions are scheduled during evenings and weekends to fit around other commitments. Access requirements will be supported.
Application deadline: 9.00am on Monday 16 December.
For more information and to apply, visit the link below or contact Jo on youngcompany@pentabus.co.uk with any questions.
 ‘Nature Calling is an innovative new art programme inviting artists of all disciplines and spoken and written word writers to have contemporary conversations about our landscapes. Nature Calling asks who feels excluded from our landscapes, how can we address new connections to nature and acknowledge the climate crisis and enjoy new experiences in amazing places.’ - Nature Calling national website.
For the Shropshire Hills National Landscape Team, Nature Calling is an opportunity to use the arts as a way of making connections with communities and audiences who may feel excluded from the landscape, or whose enjoyment of it is restricted in some way. The nature of the area is special but faces all kinds of threats. They want to work with excluded communities who feel this is something they are concerned about and have something to say or contribute to its regeneration.
They are especially interested in working with arts practitioners with a track record of working in communities, groups and facilities in the Telford and Wrekin area.
Budget: £4,000
Duration: until September 2025
The full project brief can be found below.
For a discussion about the project please provide your details by email to Nigel.McDonald@shropshire.gov.uk by Monday December 2nd.
Alternatively, call 01743 254744.
Please submit your proposal to us via email/download link (with supporting information) by Monday 16th December.
 Arts charities are in need of urgent support. Arts and culture play a crucial role in communities, from improving mental health to enhancing social skills. Big Give's newest campaign is dedicated to supporting arts and culture charities across the UK, ensuring they can continue to make a profound societal impact.
Arts for Impact is a seven-day online match funding campaign supporting arts and culture charities working to achieve societal impact across the UK, run in partnership with New Philanthropy for Arts & Culture (NPAC).
NPAC is a network of arts supporters, who are passionate about increasing philanthropic support of the arts and culture sector. Working with Big Give, NPAC has been helping to secure match funding and supporting arts organisations to prepare, and run their campaigns.
Arts for Impact Fund utilises a ‘1:1’ model of match funding. Arts and culture charities apply to Big Give, and their application is assessed by Big Give and NPAC. Successful charities are awarded a sum of match funding which is ring-fenced for their organisation. This match funding is unlocked by public donations given through Big Give’s online fundraising platform during the week of the campaign.
Deadline for applications: 18th December 2024
Find out more:
Have you got a project coming up that you would like to promote? Perhaps you know about an opportunity for cultural practitioners that isn't listed here. We want to hear from you.
Please send us details of:
- events
- exhibitions
- classes
- employment opportunities
- shows and performances
- commission opportunities
- available funding
- partnership projects
Our aim is to make this newsletter as informative and useful for Shropshire's Cultural Sector. If you know of an opportunity that's of interest to you, chances are it's of interest to another creative practitioner too.
Thanks to feedback from a partner, we are especially keen to hear about opportunities for visual artists to take part in.
Please send details to culturalcompact@shropshire.gov.uk
 The Vibrant Shropshire team have been busy working with our web developers from Verve Design to create a new Vibrant Shropshire Cultural Compact website. This will include a directory of all the Vibrant Shropshire partners. This directory will be used to connect partners, promote co-working and link up Shropshire's cultural sector.
If you are a Vibrant Shropshire partner, and would like to be included in this directory please fill out the form linked below.
Once you have filled out the form, please send us a copy of your logo to culturalcompact@shropshire.gov.uk
If you are not a Vibrant Shropshire partner, why not become one for free? Please sign up using the link below, you will then be able to complete the directory form:
Hubbub Nature Hubs Fund
Hubbub is offering grants of between £3,000 and £6,000 for community groups, registered charities, community interest companies, and companies across England, Scotland, and Wales, to create or enhance green spaces within a 5-kilometre radius of a Starbucks store.
Proposed projects should align with the following criteria:
- Involving the community - Projects that bring people and communities together around nature and green spaces.
- Commitment to reaching new audiences - Projects that are committed to reaching audiences beyond those who typically access green space.
- Need for green space - Projects that demonstrate a community need for a green space project, particularly in dense urban areas.
- Creating or enhancing green spaces - Projects that can demonstrate how they either create new green spaces, or improve, add to, or preserve existing green spaces.
Grant amount: Between £3,000 and £6,000
Deadline: Friday 29th November 2024
Find out more:
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Castle Studies Trust
The Castle Studies Trust is able to fund types of work that enhance the understanding and knowledge of castles.
Grants will initially focus on new work on castles such as architectural and geophysical surveys or scientific tests such as radio-carbon dating as well as projects to enhance the general public’s understanding of castles such as reconstruction drawings.
Grants will be up to a maximum of £10,000 (incl VAT). They can also be used in conjunction with other funding sources to co-fund projects of a larger scale.
Grant amount: up to £10,000
Deadline: Friday 29th November 2024
Find out more:
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Henry Moore Foundation
Henry Moore Foundation is offering various grants 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 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.
Deadline: Sunday 1st December
Find out more:
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The Immersive Arts Programme
A new funding initiative aimed at supporting UK-based artists working with immersive technologies has been launched.
The Immersive Arts programme, a three-year scheme backed by £3.6 million, will provide grants to over 200 artists across the UK to help them explore, experiment and expand their use of immersive media such as virtual, augmented and extended reality. Led by the University of the West of England and executive produced by Watershed creative technology centre, the programme encourages innovative approaches to blending physical and digital spaces to enhance audience engagement and sensory experiences.
Eligible UK-based artists, creative practitioners and technologists are invited to apply for funding to support costs associated with project planning, residencies, collaborations and tools to make immersive art projects more accessible and inclusive.
Grant amounts: The initiative is divided into three strands: Explore (grants of £5,000), Experiment (grants of £20,000) and Expand (grants of £50,000), tailored to artists at various stages of their careers.
Deadline: Monday 2nd December
Find out more:
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Hinrichsen Foundation
The Hinrichsen Foundation is offering grants to charities and other organisations across the United Kingdom to support contemporary music performance, including the commissioning of new work, non-commercial recording, or publication.
There are two levels of funding available:
- One-off small grants typically between £500 and £2,500 (for new applicants and former beneficiaries).
- Larger projects or concert series generally £2,000 and over.
Deadline: Thursday 12th December 2024
Find out more:
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Wolfson Fabric Repair Grants
On behalf of the Wolfson Foundation, National Churches Trust award grants towards essential fabric repairs at churches in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
These grants are usually up to £10,000 and are offered in partnership with the Wolfson Foundation. Historic places of worship can apply for a Wolfson grant via the National Churches Trust’s Medium grant programme.
Medium Grant Amount: up to £10,000
Deadlines:
- Medium Grant closes 17th December
Find out more:
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Arts For Impact by Big Give
Art for Impact is a seven-day online match funding campaign supporting arts and culture charities working to achieve societal impact across the UK, run in partnership with New Philanthropy for Arts & Culture (NPAC).
Arts for Impact Fund utilises a ‘1:1’ model of match funding. Arts and culture charities apply to Big Give, and their application is assessed by Big Give and their partners, NPAC. Successful charities are awarded a sum of match funding which is ring-fenced for their organisation. This match funding is unlocked by public donations given through Big Give’s online fundraising platform during the week of the campaign.
Deadline for application: 18th December 2024
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Theatres Trust's Small Grants for Capital Improvements
Theatres Trust's Small Grants Programme, supported by The Linbury Trust, funds small projects that make a big impact to a theatre’s resilience, sustainability, accessibility or improving the diversity of audiences.
This scheme provides grants of up to £5,000 for essential works to enable not-for-profit theatres across the UK to be viable and thrive in the future.
Eligible projects include small capital works, the installation of key plant and machinery and works which make theatre buildings digital-ready.
This scheme will prioritise improvements to buildings that protect theatre use and remove barriers to participation and attendance.
Grant amount: up to £5,000
Deadline: Friday 17th January 2025
Find out more:
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The Elephant Trust
The Elephant Trust aims to make it possible for artists and those presenting their work to undertake and complete projects when frustrated by lack of funds. It is committed to helping artists and art institutions and galleries that depart from the routine and signal new, distinct and imaginative sets of possibilities.
Funding priority is given to artists in the fine arts and small organisations and galleries within the UK.
Grant amount: between £2,000 and £5,000
Deadline: Sunday 19th January 2025
Find out more:
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The Foyle Foundation
The Foyle Foundation is a major funder of arts charities across the U.K. The foundation will consider applications towards core project costs, projects, environmental efficiency, equipment and capital through both their grant schemes:
Main Grants Scheme: they consider applications from charities with a core remit of the Arts to both sustain the Arts and to widen audiences. They look for clear artistic mission, value for money, long term benefit and sustainability in projects they support.
Small Grants Scheme: aimed at supporting small charities with a turnover of less than £150k per annum.
Grant amounts:
- Small grants: between £2,000 and £10,000
- Main grants: £75,000 and over
Deadline: open until 31st January 2025
Find out more:
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Idlewild Trust Arts and Conservation funds
Idlewild Trust support two grant programmes:
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Arts: Nurturing Early-Stage Professionals - grants to support training opportunities for emerging professionals, working creatively and backstage, within the performing and visual arts, post-training, and at an early stage in their career.
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Conservation: Objects and Works of Art - grants to support the conservation of cultural heritage of recognized national and international importance in museums, libraries, galleries, historic buildings, or landscapes accessible to the public. Priority will be given to applications that include a knowledge sharing element as an outcome of the project. Applications must include a treatment proposal from an accredited conservator.
Grant amount: maximum of £7,000
Deadlines: Round Two opens 2nd December 2024 and closes 14th February 2025.
Find out more:
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Heritage Crafts' Maker Relief Fund
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.
Deadline: End of October 2025
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National Lottery Awards for All (England)
Social connections and community activities are at the heart of creating healthier, happier lives and a flourishing society. That’s why the National Lottery Community Fund supports amazing community-led projects.
You can apply for funding to deliver a new or existing activity or to support your organisation to change and adapt to new and future challenges.
For arts, sports or heritage activities, you must be able to demonstrate how the activity strengthens your community in some way.
Awards for All can fund projects that will do at least one of these things:
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bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities
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improve the places and spaces that matter to communities
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help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage
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support people, communities and organisations facing more demands and challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis.
Grant amount: £300 to £20,000
Deadline: rolling. Applications should be made 16 weeks before funding is required
Find out more:
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Paul Hamlyn Foundation's Arts-based Learning Fund
The foundation supports arts and cultural organisations to work in partnership with schools and make arts-based learning a core part of education.
The fund envisions a more equitable school system where high-quality arts-based learning is a core part of all children’s education. They believe that arts-based teaching and learning can add value and help schools achieve their aspirations for pupils.
The fund achieves this by:
- supporting arts organisations to work in partnership with formal education settings leading to a mutual exchange and enrichment of expertise;
- focusing on pupils who experience systemic inequity and enabling them to make progress and overcome barriers to learning;
- exploring the role of arts-based learning in addressing issues of inclusion, especially racism, in education;
- creating more opportunities for high quality arts-based teaching and learning in education settings, especially in those which have not had this work in the past;
- enabling arts-based learning to be embedded in curricula and practice for the long-term; and
- building a body of evidence and practice, and understanding how the work improves equity for pupils.
Grant amount: between £30,000 to £100,000
Deadline: rolling
Find out more:
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Historic Houses Foundation
The Historic Houses Foundation gives grants for the repair and conservation of rural historic buildings and structures in England and Wales, including their gardens, grounds and outbuildings. They also give grants for the restoration and conservation of works of art in historic house collections open to the public.
Grants are made to owners (charities, institutions, local authorities and individuals) who demonstrate a sustainable and long-term commitment to the care, management and public access of the historic country houses in their care.
They aim to make grants for projects which either do not qualify for funding from any of the mainstream sources or have been awarded only partial funding. They will also consider making grants to kick start a project but will expect further funding to be in place within 1 to 2 years.
Grant amounts: The minimum grant amount is £1,000, the maximum is £250,000 though awards of this size are only made in exceptional circumstances. Most grants are less than £50,000.
Deadline: rolling
Find out more:
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National Lottery Heritage Grants
National Lottery Heritage Grants form part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund's new 10-year strategy, Heritage 2033, that aims to invest £3.6 billion across the UK with grants ranging from £10,000 up to £10 million.
The strategy is centred around a simplified framework of four investment principles:
- Saving heritage.
- Protecting the environment.
- Inclusion, access and participation.
- Organisational sustainability.
Grants are available to support projects of up to five years that care for and sustain heritage in the UK. This could include nature and habitats, historic buildings and environments, or cultures, traditions and people’s memories.
Grant amounts: there are two levels of grants available £10,000 to £250,000 or grants from £250,000 to £10 million
Deadline: rolling
Find out more here:
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To find more available funding opportunities, take a look at the VCSA Funding Opportunities Roundup.
Know about an arts or cultural funding opportunity that isn't listed here? Please contact us
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