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
22 of 628 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 113 of 628 funders. 515 not yet verified are listed below; 91 that don't fit were excluded.
Anthem. Music Fund Wales
Matching programme: Atsain Fund
Anthem. Music Fund Wales, established in 2020 by the Welsh Government and Arts Council of Wales, is a pioneering endowment designed to transform acces...
Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Matching programme: Artists International Development Fund (AIDF)
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI), established in 1962, is the principal public funding body for the arts in Northern Ireland, distributing ...
Arts Council of Wales | Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru
Matching programme: Arts, Health and Wellbeing
Arts Council of Wales (Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru), established by Royal Charter in 1994, is the principal national agency championing the arts across W...
Bòrd na Gàidhlig
Matching programme: Taic Freumhan Coimhearsnachd 2026-28
Bòrd na Gàidhlig, established by the Scottish Parliament under the 2005 Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act as an executive non-departmental public body, l...
Dr Radcliffe's Trust
Matching programme: Heritage & Crafts Scheme
Dr Radcliffe's Trust, one of Britain’s oldest independent grant-makers established in 1714 by Oxford physician Dr John Radcliffe, advances learning, h...
Elmley Foundation
Matching programme: Main Programme
The Elmley Foundation is an independent grantmaking charity rooted in perpetuating the historic tradition of arts, crafts, and design from Madresfield...
Feisean Nan Gaidheal
Matching programme: Maoin nan Ealan Gàidhlig
Feisean Nan Gaidheal, an independent Scottish charity established in 1991, serves as the umbrella body for the Fèis movement, which originated over 40...
Idlewild Trust
Matching programme: Arts - Nurturing Early-Stage Professionals
Idlewild Trust is an independent grant-making charity with a foundational mission to advance education and learning by nurturing creative talent throu...
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...
Leche Trust
Matching programme: Performing arts grants
The Leche Trust, an independent UK grant-making charity founded in 1950 by Angus Acworth CBE, champions professional excellence in performing arts and...
Maria Bjornson Memorial Fund
Matching programme: General Arts Grants
The Maria Bjornson Memorial Fund, established in 2008 to honor the legacy of acclaimed theatre, ballet, and opera designer Maria Björnson—best known f...
Marsh Christian Trust
Matching programme: Grants Programme
The Marsh Charitable Trust (formerly Marsh Christian Trust), established in 1981 by Brian Marsh OBE, is a UK-based funder dedicated to sustaining smal...
Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Local Grants
The Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust is an independent Welsh grant-maker founded to harness the legacy of the Millennium Stadium for enhancing qual...
P H Holt Foundation
Matching programme: Main Grant Programme
The P H Holt Foundation is a legacy-driven grantmaker rooted in over a century of philanthropy aimed at improving everyday life for Merseyside residen...
Postcode Neighbourhood Trust
Matching programme: Postcode Neighbourhood Trust Community Grants
Postcode Neighbourhood Trust, a Scottish-registered charity and company limited by guarantee funded exclusively by People’s Postcode Lottery proceeds,...
Postcode Places Trust
Matching programme: Postcode Places Trust Grant Programme
Postcode Places Trust, a Scottish-registered charity (SC049115), channels funds raised through the People's Postcode Lottery to empower small charitie...
Prince Philip Trust Fund
Matching programme: General Grants
The Prince Philip Trust Fund, established in 1977 by Sir Christopher Aston to honour HRH The Duke of Edinburgh's service during the first 25 years of ...
Sheffield Grammar School Exhibition Foundation
Matching programme: Sheffield Grammar School Exhibition Foundation Grants
Sheffield Grammar School Exhibition Foundation advances educational opportunity for financially needy local city residents through scholarships, bursa...
Summerfield Charitable Trust
Matching programme: General Grant Programme
Summerfield Charitable Trust advances community resilience, inclusion, creativity, environmental stewardship, and support for disadvantaged population...
Thriplow Charitable Trust
Matching programme: General Funding
The Thriplow Charitable Trust, established in 1993 as a family trust, advances higher education and research with a strong preference for UK instituti...
Triodos Foundation
Matching programme: Triodos Foundation Grant
Triodos Foundation, established in 1996 as an expression of Triodos Bank’s ethos of sustainable, ethical finance, is a UK-registered grant-maker dedic...
William Syson Foundation
Matching programme: Small Grants Fund
The William Syson Foundation, established in 2012 by lifelong Scottish arts patron William Syson, advances arts, heritage, and culture exclusively in ...
515 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
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Which of These 628 Funders Are Right for You?
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