News - Apply for a new Building on Recovery Arts Grants programme

Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA), working with Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cheshire West Voluntary Arts Network (CWVAN), has launched a new Building and Recovery Arts Grants programme.

This programme, which has been made available through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), targets creative projects or activities aimed at supporting the following groups.

• Children and young people
• Older people*
• People with disabilities
• People who aren’t in education, employment or training (NEET)
• People in deprived areas*
• People in rural parts of west Cheshire*

*Preference will be given to projects involving these cohorts or in these areas.

There are two types of grants available.

• Medium grants – £1,001 to £10,000, with a total of £46,000 available – enabling organisations to develop activities
• Small grants – £200 to £1,000, with a total of £10,000 available – supporting grassroots groups to kickstart or pilot activities

The grants programme is looking for a spread of projects or activities across the borough and priority will be given to those working with the most deprived communities in west Cheshire (for example, certain parts of Chester, including Blacon and Lache, parts of Ellesmere Port, Winsford and Northwich).

• View a map of deprived communities

Eligible costs to spend grants on include the following.

• Buying or hiring of materials and equipment
• Marketing and publicity to reach new groups, including printing costs
• Venue or room hire and safety preparations
• Technical costs
• Refreshments
• Creative development of groups (for example, practitioner support in line with Artists’ Union England rates)
• Public liability insurance (if this isn’t already held by the project delivery group)
• Part salaries or sessional staff
• Volunteer expenses
• Overheads and core costs (proportionate amount)

There will be two funding periods, covering now until 31 March 2024 and 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

The first funding round opens today (Monday 17 July), closing on Sunday 30 July.

• Apply for small grants
• Apply for medium grants