Arts, Culture & Heritage Grants & Funding
There are 628 UK funders offering grants for arts, culture & heritage charities, with typical awards from £100 to £1,150,000.
The UK has a rich ecosystem of arts, culture, and heritage funding. Arts Council England, Creative Scotland, Arts Council of Wales, and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland provide public funding, while a wide network of trusts and foundations supports independent arts organisations and creative projects. Grants range from core funding for established cultural institutions to small project awards for emerging artists and community arts groups. Heritage funding covers historic buildings, archives, museums, oral history, and intangible cultural heritage. The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and Garfield Weston Foundation are major arts funders alongside more specialist trusts. Participatory arts — projects where communities actively create rather than just consume culture — have seen strong funder interest. Many grant-makers value arts projects that deliver social outcomes alongside cultural ones: improving mental health, building community cohesion, or engaging marginalised groups. Rural touring, digital arts, and diversity in cultural leadership are current funding priorities.
Quick Stats
- Total Funders
- 628
- Grant Range
- £100 - £1,150,000
- Open to Applications
- 54%
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Clear filtersFilters use programme details verified from each funder's own published guidance. Funders we haven't verified yet are listed separately below, never hidden.
Arts, Culture & Heritage Funders
30 of 628 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 90 of 628 funders. 538 not yet verified are listed below; 60 that don't fit were excluded.
Alan Davidson Foundation
Matching programme: Alan Davidson Foundation Grants
The Alan Davidson Foundation, a UK-registered charity established in 2015 by pioneering architect Alan Hayes Davidson following his 2012 motor neurone...
Ampersand Foundation
Matching programme: Annual Grants
The Ampersand Foundation, established in 2011 by philanthropist Jack Kirkland, is a UK grant-awarding trust dedicated to advancing education and publi...
Anchor Foundation
Matching programme: Grant Programme
The Anchor Foundation is a UK-based grantmaker dedicated to supporting Christian charities that address social exclusion through ministries of healing...
Architectural Heritage Fund
Matching programme: Project Viability Grants (PVG) - Scotland
The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF), a UK-registered charity founded in 1976, champions the conservation and sustainable reuse of historic buildings...
Art Fund
Matching programme: Jerwood Art Fund Commissions
Art Fund, established in 1903 by Christiana Herringham and visionary artists and patrons, champions the acquisition and preservation of outstanding ar...
Baring Foundation
Matching programme: Arts Programme
The Baring Foundation, an independent London-based charitable foundation established in 1969 as Barings Bank's corporate arm and fully independent sin...
Bòrd na Gàidhlig
Matching programme: Gaelic Plans Fund – Projects Stream 2026/27
Bòrd na Gàidhlig, established by the Scottish Parliament under the 2005 Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act as an executive non-departmental public body, l...
British Academy for the Promotion of Historical Philosophical and Philological Studies
Matching programme: International Fellowships
The British Academy, formally the British Academy for the Promotion of Historical, Philosophical, and Philological Studies, is the United Kingdom’s na...
British Film Institute
Matching programme: BFI and Film4 Future Takes
The British Film Institute, established by Royal Charter in 1933, leads UK efforts to advance film, television, and moving image culture through prese...
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK Branch
Matching programme: Gulbenkian Exhibitions Fund
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation UK Branch, established in 1956 from the bequest of Armenian oil magnate Calouste Gulbenkian, is a London-based arm ...
Clive Richards Foundation
Matching programme: Research
The Clive Richards Foundation, established in 1986 by entrepreneur Clive Richards and his wife Sylvia (renamed in Clive's honour after his 2021 passin...
Clore Duffield Foundation
Matching programme: Clore Learning Spaces – Schools Connect Programme
The Clore Duffield Foundation, born from the merger of visionary philanthropic legacies, drives transformative opportunities through excellence, innov...
Colwinston Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Main Grant Programme
The Colwinston Charitable Trust, established in 1995 by Mathew Prichard CBE, sustains and supports high-quality artistic activities that enrich UK cul...
Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Medium Grant
The Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust (EKCT), established in 1963 by Ernest and Joan Kleinwort, is a family-led grant-making foundation dedicated to m...
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Matching programme: Grants
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, established in 1961 by Ian Fairbairn in memory of his wife, is one of the UK's largest independent funders, dedicated ...
Friends of the Nations' Libraries
Matching programme: Acquisition Grants
Friends of the Nations' Libraries (FNL), established in 1931 as the UK's only charity dedicated exclusively to safeguarding written and printed herita...
Goldsmiths' Company Charity
Matching programme: Open Grants Fund
The Goldsmiths' Company Charity, rooted in the historic Goldsmiths’ Company with charitable origins dating to 1334 and formal registration in the late...
Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation
Matching programme: Grants to Registered Charities
The Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation advances Jewish life, learning, and broader charitable purposes through grant-making that fosters cultural enrichme...
HDH Wills 1965 Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Martin Wills Fund
The HDH Wills 1965 Charitable Trust is an independent grant-making charity founded in 1965 with a mission to advance charitable purposes worldwide, pl...
Historic Houses Foundation
Matching programme: Country Houses Foundation Grants (Buildings)
The Historic Houses Foundation is an independent UK charity with a foundational mission to preserve historic buildings—primarily country houses, garde...
J P Marland Charitable Trust
Matching programme: The J P Marland Charitable Trust
The J P Marland Charitable Trust is a family-founded discretionary grantmaker with a mission to support worthy charitable causes delivering public ben...
John Ellerman Foundation
Matching programme: Main Grants programme (2025-2030 strategy)
The John Ellerman Foundation, established in 1971 by John Reeves Ellerman with wealth from shipping, brewing, and other industries—acknowledging its h...
Mayfield Valley Arts Trust
Matching programme: AHT Enterprise Fund
The Mayfield Valley Arts Trust (MVAT), founded over 30 years ago by Tony and Scilla Thornton, began supporting music-making in Yorkshire—most notably ...
National Lottery Heritage Fund
Matching programme: National Lottery Grants for Heritage £10,000–£250,000
The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the UK's largest dedicated heritage funder established in 1994 (with roots in the 1980 National Heritage Memorial ...
National Manuscripts Conservation Trust
Matching programme: NMCT Conservation Grants
The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust is dedicated to safeguarding the UK's written heritage through preservation of at-risk manuscripts and arc...
People's Postcode Trust
Matching programme: People's Postcode Trust Main Grant Programme
People's Postcode Trust is a registered Scottish charity established in 2009, dedicated to supporting smaller charities and community causes across Sc...
Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust Limited
Matching programme: Apprenticeship
The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), established in 1990 as the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association to celebrate its 150t...
Theatre Development Trust
Matching programme: Theatre Development Trust Grants Programme
Theatre Development Trust, the charitable arm of the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, advances dramatic and performing arts for public benefi...
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
Matching programme: Activate Fund
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, established in 1965 as a living memorial to Sir Winston Churchill through public subscription and government sup...
Wolfson Foundation
Matching programme: Health & Disability programme
The Wolfson Foundation, an independent UK grant-making charity established in 1955 by Sir Isaac Wolfson, advances excellence and opportunity in scienc...
538 funders not yet verified against these filters
We haven't confirmed these funders' programme details yet, so they may or may not fit. Showing the first 10.
Tips for Applying to Arts, Culture & Heritage Funders
Arts and culture funders look for applications that articulate both artistic quality and social impact. Describe the creative excellence of your work — the artistic vision, calibre of practitioners, and cultural significance — alongside the social outcomes it delivers. Avoid reducing arts to a mere tool for social change; instead show how high-quality cultural experiences create transformative engagement. Detail your participatory methods, explaining how communities actively shape creative processes rather than simply attending performances or exhibitions. Demonstrate diversity and inclusion in your programming, governance, and workforce, showing concrete steps you are taking rather than aspirational statements. Present your audience development strategy, particularly how you reach people who do not currently engage with arts and culture, including evidence of barriers and how you address them. If your project involves cultural heritage, articulate its significance using frameworks such as heritage values or cultural asset mapping. Include evidence from previous work — audience feedback, participant testimonials, evaluation reports, or critical reviews — that demonstrates both artistic merit and meaningful engagement. Strong applications show a clear connection between creative ambition and community benefit, with realistic budgets that fairly compensate artists and creative practitioners.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Arts, Culture & Heritage Grants
What grants are available for arts, culture & heritage charities in the UK?
There are 628+ UK funders offering grants for arts, culture & heritage charities. These range from small community grants under £5,000 to large multi-year funding programmes exceeding £100,000. Use Fundermatcher to find the best match for your organisation.
How much funding can arts, culture & heritage organisations get?
Grant amounts for arts, culture & heritage charities vary widely depending on the funder and project. Typical grants range from £1,000 to over £100,000. Many funders offer multi-year funding for established organisations with a strong track record.
How do I apply for arts, culture & heritage grants?
Start by identifying funders whose priorities align with your arts, culture & heritage work. Fundermatcher matches your charity's profile against 628+ funders to find the best fit. Our AI assistant can then help you draft compelling grant applications.
How to Find the Right Arts, Culture & Heritage Funders
Describe Your Charity
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Which of These 628 Funders Are Right for You?
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