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
32 of 628 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 130 of 628 funders. 498 not yet verified are listed below; 98 that don't fit were excluded.
Ampersand Foundation
Matching programme: The Ampersand Foundation Award
The Ampersand Foundation, established in 2011 by philanthropist Jack Kirkland, is a UK grant-awarding trust dedicated to advancing education and publi...
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...
Architectural Heritage Fund
Matching programme: Project Development Grants (PDG) - 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: Reimagine grants
Art Fund, established in 1903 by Christiana Herringham and visionary artists and patrons, champions the acquisition and preservation of outstanding ar...
Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Matching programme: Annual Funding Programme
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...
British Record Industry Trust
Matching programme: BRIT Trust Grants
The British Record Industry Trust, known as The BRIT Trust, founded in 1989 by the UK recorded music industry, harnesses music and creative arts to tr...
Continuo Foundation
Matching programme: Continuo Foundation Awards
Continuo Foundation, established in September 2020 by UK music professionals led by chair Pelayia Tina Vadaneaux, is a charitable organisation dedicat...
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...
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 ...
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...
Forever Notts
Matching programme: J N Derbyshire Trust
Forever Notts, formerly Nottinghamshire Community Foundation and established in 1997 as an independent registered charity, serves as a vital broker fo...
Francis C Scott Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Main Grants
The Francis C Scott Charitable Trust, established in 1963 by Peter Scott CBE and Dr Joan Trevelyan in honour of their father—a local philanthropist pa...
Holkham Charitable Foundation
Matching programme: The Holkham Charitable Foundation
The Holkham Charitable Foundation embodies a legacy of family-led stewardship and social responsibility, established to champion local philanthropy as...
J G Graves Charitable Trust
Matching programme: General Grant Programme
The J G Graves Charitable Trust, founded in 1930 by Sheffield businessman and philanthropist John George Graves, is a legacy-driven funder dedicated t...
Lake District Foundation
Matching programme: Real Hedge Fund
The Lake District Foundation, successor to Nurture Lakeland, drives a mission to safeguard the Lake District's natural environment, rich heritage, and...
Mercers Charitable Foundation
Matching programme: Older People & Housing
The Mercers’ Charitable Foundation, established in 1983 as the principal grant-making trust of The Mercers’ Company—London’s premier livery company fo...
Mohn Westlake Foundation
Matching programme: The Mohn Westlake Arts Engagement Fund
The Mohn Westlake Foundation is a family charitable trust driven by dual missions: enhancing lives of children and young people through expanded acces...
National Funding Scheme
Matching programme: DONATE™ Digital Fundraising Platform
The National Funding Scheme is a pioneering UK charity founded to revolutionize charitable fundraising through cutting-edge digital technology, democr...
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 ...
Nisbet Trust
Matching programme: Nisbet Trust Grants
The Nisbet Trust is an independent grant-making charity established in 2011 by the Nisbet family, with roots in Greater Bristol through Andrew Nisbet'...
Oakdale Trust
Matching programme: Grant Applications
The Oakdale Trust is a small, family-run charitable foundation established in 1946 by Brandon Cadbury, rooted in the Cadbury family's philanthropic le...
Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust
Matching programme: Perth City Heritage Fund (PCHF)
Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust (PKHT), an independent Scottish charity established in 1988, is dedicated to protecting, conserving, enhancing, and p...
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...
Sackler Trust
Matching programme: The Sackler Trust
The Sackler Trust is a UK-based grant-making foundation established in 2010 with a mission to advance medical science, healthcare innovation, educatio...
Shears Foundation
Matching programme: Core Grants Programme
The Shears Foundation, a family-led charitable foundation established in 1994 by Trevor and Lyn Shears from proceeds of the Go-Ahead transport group f...
Sheffield Town Trust
Matching programme: One-Off Project Grants
Sheffield Town Trust, founded in 1297 by Thomas de Furnival, is one of the UK's oldest charities and a pioneering civic trust originally created to gr...
Summerfield Charitable Trust
Matching programme: General Grant Programme
Summerfield Charitable Trust advances community resilience, inclusion, creativity, environmental stewardship, and support for disadvantaged population...
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 Wates Memorial Trust
Matching programme: Main Grants Programme
The William Wates Memorial Trust, established in 1998 by the Wates family in memory of William Wates—who died tragically during his 1996 gap year—cham...
498 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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