Outset - Contemporary Art Fund

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £1,183,777 (2023 income)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-only application)
• Decision Time: 6-9 months (February application to Autumn decision)
• Grant Range: £25,000 - £150,000 (Outset Partners Awards)
• Geographic Focus: International (UK and global institutions)

Contact Details

Website: www.outset.org.uk

Email: info@outset.org.uk / grants@outset.org.uk

Phone: 020 8127 1570

Grants Enquiries: grants@outset.org.uk

Overview

Founded in 2003 by Candida Gertler OBE and Yana Peel, Outset Contemporary Art Fund is a London-based arts charity (registered charity number 1101476) that has raised over £13 million for arts institutions, exhibitions, education programmes, residency initiatives, publications, and capital campaigns. The organization promotes access to works of contemporary art through arranging visits, exhibitions, public facilities and events, and secures contemporary works for presentation or loan to public art collections, museums and galleries. In 2023, the charity reported total income of £1,183,777. Outset operates through several programmes, most notably Outset Partners (established 2018), described as the largest arts grants programme in the world funded by a group of individuals. The organization takes a responsive, institution-led approach to funding, supporting artists and curators to realize ambitious and risk-taking projects that interrogate contemporary issues. Outset is currently run by a small core team of five people and overseen by a board of seven trustees.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Outset Partners Awards (Annual cycle, invitation-only)

• Transformative Award: Up to £150,000 - Designed to provide space for the cultural sector to develop innovative ideas and models of working, offering institutions a rare opportunity to experiment and create impactful projects
• Impact Awards: Five awards of up to £25,000 each - Awarded to public institutions that respond to critical issues facing the cultural sector, such as empowering educational initiatives or enhancing creative infrastructure

Application Method: Invitation-only with rolling invitations to network institutions. Applications open in February for approximately one month.

Total Programme Impact: Outset Partners has awarded grants totalling over £1.6 million since 2018 to 29 international projects.

Priority Areas

• Contemporary art exhibitions and public programmes
• Innovative and experimental projects that challenge conventional thinking
• Artist and curator development through ambitious risk-taking projects
• Educational initiatives and creative infrastructure enhancement
• Archive digitization and accessibility projects
• Travelling exhibitions and international cultural exchange
• Projects addressing critical issues facing the cultural sector today
• Grassroots initiatives to major museum programmes

The awards are unique in their open approach and non-prescriptive criteria, making them institution-led rather than funder-dictated.

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the focus is clearly on:

• Contemporary art institutions (not historical arts or other sectors)
• Institutional projects (rather than individual artists applying directly)
• Public-facing programmes (not private collections or commercial ventures)

Ready to write a winning application for Outset - Contemporary Art Fund?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Outset Contemporary Art Fund is governed by a board of seven trustees who oversee operations. Each trustee makes a financial contribution to Outset's operation, with no single trustee donating more than 3% of overall annual turnover. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Founders: Candida Gertler OBE and Yana Peel (2003). Note: Candida Gertler resigned from the board in 2024.

Current Operations: Run by a small core team of five staff members who work closely with the board of trustees.

Outset Partners Decision-Making: Grants are determined through a consensus-driven process by the collective of individual Outset patrons, with each partner having equal voting rights. An independent Research & Strategy Lead chairs meetings, and a Steering Committee provides advisory input.

The organization describes its approach as “listening to the arts sector, exploring themes and investigating trends” before making funding decisions collectively.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Invitation-Only Process: Applications are by invitation only, extended to:

• The international network of institutions and art spaces previously supported by Outset
• Additional institutions invited by Outset Partners, Trustees, and staff members

To Join the Network: Organizations interested in being considered for future invitations should contact grants@outset.org.uk to express interest.

Application Stages:

1. Initial Application (February): Invited institutions receive an email outlining the application process with a link to a short application form
2. Long-listing Stage: Successful initial applicants are asked to provide additional detail including a three-minute video
3. Interview Stage (Summer): Final shortlisted applicants are interviewed via Zoom
4. Final Decision (Autumn): Partners convene to make final votes on funding

Decision Timeline

• February: Applications open for approximately one month
• Spring/Early Summer: Long-listing and video submission requests
• Summer: Zoom interviews with final candidates
• Autumn: Partners convene for final voting
• Shortly After Autumn Meeting: Successful applicants notified
• End of Year: Public announcement of awards

Total Timeline: Approximately 6-9 months from application submission to notification

Project Requirements: No fixed timeline required, but applicants are encouraged to propose projects taking place a year following application submission and beyond. Projects must be publicly announced by year-end.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. The invitation-only process and multi-stage evaluation (initial application → long-list → video → interview → final vote) suggest a highly competitive selection process. Approximately 6 awards are made per cycle (1 Transformative at £150,000 and 5 Impact at £25,000 each).

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not explicitly stated in public materials. For clarification, contact grants@outset.org.uk.

Application Success Factors

Programme Philosophy

The Outset Partners Awards are described as “unique in their open approach and non-prescriptive criteria,” being “led by institutions” to “support artists and curators to realise ambitious and risk-taking projects that interrogate the issues of the day.”

Recent Funded Projects (Examples of Success)

2023 Awards:

• Stellenbosch Triennale (£110,000) - 2025 iteration of public festival of contemporary African art
• arebyte - Development of digital tool 'arebyte Plugin'
• STORE - After-school programme for young people 'STORE Build'
• Yinka Shonibare Foundation/G.A.S. - 'Re:assemblages' programme
• Art Gallery of York University - 'from the Transit Bar: Visiting Curator Series'

2022 Awards:

• African Artists' Foundation, Lagos (£150,000 Transformative) - Travelling exhibition 'Dig Where You Stand'

2021 Awards (Cycle III):

• Performa, US (£150,000 Transformative) - Archives digitization and 'Living Archives' digital platform
• Artists in Residence, UK (Impact Award)
• Bold Tendencies, London (Impact Award)
• Centre Pompidou, Paris (Impact Award)
• Green Papaya Art Projects, Philippines (Impact Award)
• International Curators Forum (Impact Award)

Key Success Factors

1. Demonstrate Innovation and Risk-Taking: Projects should be experimental, ambitious, and challenge conventional approaches
2. Address Contemporary Issues: Show how the project interrogates critical issues facing the cultural sector today
3. Show Transformative Potential: Particularly for the Transformative Award, demonstrate how the project will create lasting impact or new models of working
4. Be Institution-Led: Strong institutional support and integration with broader organizational strategy
5. Public Engagement: Projects should have clear public-facing elements and accessibility
6. International Perspective: Both UK and international institutions are supported; demonstrate global relevance
7. Clear but Flexible Delivery: While timelines are flexible, show realistic planning and vision

Language and Terminology

Outset uses language around:

• “Ambitious and risk-taking”
• “Interrogating issues of the day”
• “Transformative”
• “Innovative ideas and models of working”
• “Rare opportunity to experiment”
• “Impactful projects”
• “Agenda-setting”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Invitation-Only but Open Door: While applications are invitation-only, organizations can proactively contact grants@outset.org.uk to express interest and potentially join the invited network for future cycles

1. Think Big and Bold: Outset specifically seeks “ambitious and risk-taking projects” - don't shy away from experimental or unconventional proposals. The non-prescriptive criteria allow for creative freedom

1. Institutional Readiness is Key: The multi-stage process (application → video → interview) requires institutional commitment and strong communication capabilities. Ensure senior leadership buy-in

1. Flexible Timeline is Strategic Advantage: Unlike many funders, Outset doesn't require strict project timelines or completion dates. Use this flexibility to propose genuinely transformative long-term projects

1. Demonstrate Contemporary Relevance: Show how your project addresses current critical issues in the cultural sector and connects to broader societal conversations

1. Collective Decision-Making: Understand that funding decisions are made by consensus among multiple patrons, not a single program officer. Your proposal needs broad appeal across diverse perspectives

1. Long Application Cycle Requires Planning: With a 6-9 month timeline from February application to autumn decision, plan well ahead. Projects taking place the year following application are encouraged

References

• Outset Contemporary Art Fund official website: https://outset.org.uk/
• Outset Partners Awards information: https://outset.org.uk/about-us/support-outset-partners-grants/
• Outset Partners Award FAQs: https://outset.org.uk/about-us/support-outset-partners-grants/outset-partners-grants-faq/
• UK Charity Commission Register, Charity Number 1101476: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1101476&subid=0
• Outset Contemporary Art Fund Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outset_Contemporary_Art_Fund
• FAD Magazine: “PERFORMA get £150,000 grant from Outset Partners”: https://fadmagazine.com/2021/12/09/performa-get-150000-grant-from-outset-partners/
• ArtReview: “Performa receives £150,000 Outset grant” (2021): https://artreview.com/performa-receives-150000-outset-grant/