The Arts Society
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Check the published criteria first: External Charity Grants go only to UK registered charities in the arts, crafts or heritage sectors with annual turnover under £1 million, so schools, colleges, universities, individuals, Friends groups, CICs and non-registered organisations should not apply.
- Ask for no more than £3,000, which is the stated maximum for its external and Society Project grants, and do not request capital, staff, core or general running costs, or fund a project that has already started unless it is entering a clearly defined new phase.
- External Charity Grants open once a year in the autumn on fixed deadlines, with a decision within two months of the closing date, and there is no limit on how many rounds you can apply for, so an unsuccessful first application does not rule out a later one.
- The Grants Committee looks for effective use of resources, a clear fit with this round's theme of 'Community Engagement', meaningful grassroots benefit and local impact, and expects evaluation and reporting after completion; the published criteria do not say how competitive the grants are.
Overview
The Arts Society is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1089743).
The Arts Society is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, and its stated purposes include educating the public in the cultivation, appreciation and study of the decorative and fine arts and conserving the artistic heritage of the United Kingdom and other countries for the public benefit. In total it made grants of over £153,000. It runs three grant programmes: External Charity Grants, Society Project Grants of up to £3,000 and Small Society Grants of £250 for Member Societies with limited reserves.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Arts Society supports arts organisations, museums, heritage projects and community initiatives, as well as its own Member Societies. Its grants fund arts and heritage projects that preserve and share culture, creativity and heritage, and make the arts more accessible. Member Society grants help local societies develop projects, activities and events that bring people together, encourage participation and share enjoyment of the arts; they also support societies with limited reserves. External charity grants support projects that improve access to arts and heritage and preserve cultural heritage. The Society emphasizes meaningful grassroots benefit, local community impact and opportunities for people to engage with the arts and heritage.
Themes
- Arts and heritage
- Arts accessibility
- Community initiatives
Geographic Focus
UK.
What they don't fund
- External Charity Grants only:
- Organisations that are not UK Registered Charities
- CICs
- Schools
- Colleges and Universities
- Parent-teacher associations
- Friends of organisations
- Individuals
- Charities whose main activity is not in the arts, crafts and heritage sectors
- Charities with an annual turnover of over £1million (please note, reserves will be taken into account, as defined by the Charity Commission “that part of a charity’s income funds that is freely available”)
- Capital expenditure, including building works, equipment purchases and other one-off asset costs
- Staff costs
- Core costs
- General operating costs
- Projects that have already started (unless the project is entering a clearly defined new phase) or been completed
- Applications exceeding the maximum grant amount of £3,000
- Projects that do not meet the 2026 theme of ‘Community Engagement’
- Projects that do not focus on public arts or heritage events, activities or festivals
- Projects that do not centre on community participation and cohesion
- Projects that do not bring the arts or heritage into shared public places
How to apply
External charity applicants prepare their answers separately, then submit them through the online form. Member Societies can access guidance and application forms through the members' Resources Area.
Deadlines: External Charity Grants are offered once a year in the autumn.
Who can apply:
- External Charity Grants
- Applicants must be UK registered charities.
- UK registered charities in the arts, crafts or heritage sectors, with an annual turnover of less than £1 million.
- Member Society Grants: Member Societies of The Arts Society can apply for a grant to support local arts and heritage projects.
Applying again: External Charity Grants: There is no limit to the number of grants rounds you can apply for. Even successful applicants can apply more than once.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- The Grants Committee considers effective use of resources, alignment with the external grant theme and the Society’s overall objectives.
- Projects should deliver meaningful grassroots benefit and a clear positive impact for local communities.
- Funded projects are expected to be evaluated and reported after completion.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Arts Society.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £1,584,073 | £1,793,330 | £124,360 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £1,521,674 | £2,357,397 | £155,961 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £1,721,644 | £2,202,241 | — | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £1,904,668 | £2,420,455 | £140,375 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £1,635,793 | £1,813,614 | £153,591 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 4 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2021; year to 31 December 2022; year to 31 December 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2025: the accounts do not say whether this is grants awarded or paid.
— No grants figure for that year.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- theartssociety.org
- theartssociety.org/grants · read on 30 October 2026
- theartssociety.org/society-grants · read on 30 October 2026
- theartssociety.org/charity-grants · read on 30 October 2026
- theartssociety.org/sites/default/files/External%20Charity%20Grants%202026%20FAQs_0.pdf · read on 30 October 2026
- theartssociety.org/contact-us · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The Arts Society?
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Applying to The Arts Society?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required