The Arts Council Of England

Charity Number: 1036733

Annual Expenditure: £756.3M
Throughout England

Contact Info

Website: www.artscouncil.org.uk

Phone: 0161 934 4317

Email: enquiries@artscouncil.org.uk

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £446 million
  • Success Rate: 20-25% (varies by program)
  • Decision Time: 10 weeks
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £100,000 (Project Grants)
  • Geographic Focus: England only

Contact Details

  • Website: www.artscouncil.org.uk
  • Email: enquiries@artscouncil.org.uk
  • Phone: 0161 934 4317
  • Charity Number: 1036733

Overview

Arts Council England is the national development agency for the arts in England, established as a non-departmental public body. With an annual investment of £446 million distributed to 990 organizations across the country, they champion, develop and invest in artistic experiences that enrich people's lives. Operating at arm's length from government, they distribute both Government Grant-in-Aid and National Lottery funding. Their strategic vision "Let's Create" aims that by 2030, England will be a country where everyone's creativity is valued and given the chance to flourish, with access to remarkable high-quality cultural experiences. Under CEO Darren Henley's leadership, they have significantly increased funding outside London and prioritized supporting artists with fair pay.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

  • National Lottery Project Grants: £1,000 - £100,000 (open access program with two tiers: up to £30,000 and £30,001-£100,000)
  • Developing Your Creative Practice: Individual practitioner development grants
  • Creative Foundations Fund: Capital funding for cultural infrastructure
  • Museums Capital Programme: Capital investment for non-national museums
  • Libraries Improvement Fund: Building and technology upgrades for library services
  • 2023-26 Investment Programme: £446 million annually to 990 National Portfolio Organizations

Priority Areas

  • Visual arts, music, theatre, dance, combined arts, museums, libraries, literature
  • Priority Places (areas with historically lower cultural investment) - 159 organizations receive 23.6% of Project Grant investment
  • Projects demonstrating artistic excellence and public engagement
  • Work that increases diversity and inclusion in the arts
  • Enterprise and innovation in the cultural sector

What They Don't Fund

  • Projects outside England
  • For-profit organizations (must be not-for-profit cultural organizations)
  • Projects without clear cultural aims
  • Museums and libraries (separate funding streams available)
  • Organizations without demonstrated cultural activity in last 12 months
  • Duplicate funding from other sources without disclosure

Governance and Leadership

CEO: Darren Henley leads the organization with a focus on supporting the entire arts ecosystem. In 2024, he emphasized: "In a challenging economic environment, we welcome the Chancellor's commitment of urgently needed capital investment for the cultural sector."

Senior Leadership: Includes Rebecca Ball (North Area Director), Michelle Dickson (Director of Strategy), and a National Council of 15 members representing the arts community.

Strategic Approach: The leadership emphasizes quality over lowest-cost funding decisions, stating that “decisions on funding are made on the value of investment, rather than a lowest cost basis.”

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  • Online portal: Two-tier system with different application forms based on grant amount
  • £30,000 and under: Currently open, streamlined application process
  • £30,001-£100,000: Reopens periodically, more detailed application required
  • Rolling basis: Most programs accept applications throughout the year
  • Access Support Scheme: Available for larger grant applications

Decision Timeline

  • Standard timeframe: 10 weeks from submission
  • Notification: Direct communication if delays anticipated
  • Processing: Applications assessed for artistic merit, public benefit, and organizational capacity

Success Rates

  • Overall Project Grants: 20-25% success rate (reduced from historical 40-45%)
  • Developing Your Creative Practice: 21% success rate (401 of 1,944 applicants in round 17)
  • Regional variations: Success rates vary from 23% (South West) to 27% (Midlands)
  • By discipline: Visual arts most successful at 36% of funded applicants

Reapplication Policy

  • Project Grants: Can reapply multiple times - many successful applicants apply 3-4 times
  • Developing Your Creative Practice: No restrictions on reapplications, including previous recipients
  • Rejected applications: Strongly discouraged from reapplying without significant changes if rejected at initial stage

Application Success Factors

Pay Artists Properly: "If you don't pay yourself and other artists properly, you harm your application immeasurably." Minimum recommended rate £90/day for unpublished authors, industry standard rates for all other artists.

Focus on Artistic Value: “Your application will only be successful if you convince ACE of the artistic value of the project you are proposing.” Treat every sentence as an elevator pitch to an investor.

Clear Planning: “The strongest applications demonstrate a clear plan of who they want to work with, what they will do and how they will be significantly better at what they do by the end.”

Comprehensive Budgeting: Include detailed costs for all aspects including travel, equipment, room hire, and contingency. Don't undervalue your time.

External Feedback: Get experienced artists, coaches, or mentors to review applications before submission.

Strategic Timing: Consider funding urgency and whether projects can be partially funded elsewhere to demonstrate viability.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Expect multiple applications: Most successful applicants apply 3-4 times before receiving funding
  • Fair pay is essential: Proper artist remuneration strengthens rather than weakens applications
  • Artistic excellence first: Focus on artistic value and public benefit over cost-effectiveness
  • Plan comprehensively: Strong applications demonstrate clear outcomes and professional development
  • Regional advantage: Some regions show higher success rates, particularly outside London
  • Visual arts advantage: Visual arts applications show highest success rates across programs
  • Professional presentation: Thorough preparation and external review significantly improve chances

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References