Norfolk and Norwich Festival Trust

The Trust funds arts, culture, heritage, science, education, and training initiatives that boost participation, develop creative skills, and reach marginalised groups. It primarily supports socially engaged projects through Bursaries for Young Creatives and Bursaries for Artists. The work funded includes participatory arts, creative skill development, and community cultural activities. Geographically, it prioritises Norfolk and the wider East of England, including Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and Peterborough. The Trust also supports year-round community engagement projects such as Festival Connect & Create, which spark cross-sector partnerships for health, wellbeing, and social change.

Eligible applicants include UK-registered charities, community groups, grassroots organisations, and individuals — particularly emerging creatives and artists — based in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, or Peterborough. The Trust favours small to medium-sized entities delivering community-based work, with no strict income thresholds. It prioritises projects benefiting children, young people, and under-served communities, reflecting its core values of inclusivity and cultural access.

The Trust does not fund core, unrestricted, or capital costs. Its grants are directed exclusively towards participatory arts projects rather than organisational overheads, building works, or major equipment. This ensures that funding directly supports creative engagement with communities.

The Trust works primarily through bursary schemes that support socially engaged projects. It welcomes unsolicited applications from eligible organisations and individuals. Funding is project-based, and the Trust often collaborates with partners across health, wellbeing, and social change sectors through its year-round programme.