November: funding opportunities & competitions

Cultural Bridge Fund

A unique investment programme between the UK arts councils and leading German cultural institutions that supports the development of cross-border partnerships. The Fund is open to all arts and cultural organisations with proven expertise in socially engaged/participatory practice. Partnerships must be bi-lateral, including at least one German partner and one UK partner, from any one of the four nations: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Two tiers of funding are available for activity that starts from 1 April 2026 and is completed by 31 March 2027:

•  Tier 1 - Practice exchange and development of new partnerships - supports the development of brand new partnerships between arts and cultural organisations in the UK and Germany. Grants of between £5,000 and £10,000 per partnership.

• Tier 2 - Co-development and project delivery for established partnerships - supports further development of partnerships, where organisations already have experience of working together. Grants of up to £30,000 per partnership.

Organisations who are interested in applying for Tier 1 funding can complete the 'New Partner' interest form which will provide access to the details of other potential partner arts organisations in the UK or Germany. Once granted access, groups may then research and reach out to any of the organisations whose work is of interest to them. 

The deadline to submit this form is 1 September 2025.

Applications will be accepted from 1 October to 12 November 2025. More info here.

Youth Led Fund

Are you creative, living in Scotland and aged 8-30? Open to young people in Scotland who have experienced isolation or marginalisation. Up to £500 for your creative activity or project. Deadline: Tuesday 18 November 2025 at 17:00. More info here.

Henry Moore Foundation

Grants are available for not-for-profit organisations for projects and activities that promote the growth and development of sculpture across historical, modern, and contemporary registers, and research that expands the appreciation of sculpture:

• New projects and commissions: Grants of up to £20,000 to encourage new thinking about sculpture or sculpture history or contribute to public awareness and appreciation of sculpture.

• Acquisitions and collections: Grants of up to £20,000 for museums and galleries to acquire or conserve sculpture for their collections, cataloguing, and display costs.

• Research and development:

  • Long-term grants of up to £20,000 for projects that require funding for more than one year, such as a permanent collection catalogue.

  • Small research grants of up to £2,500 for academics, curators, and independent scholars for research costs on the history and interpretation of sculpture.

• Conferences, lectures, and publications: Grants of up to £5000 to publish a new book or journal, or to stage a conference or other event related to sculpture.

Deadline 1 December 2025 (23:00). More info here.

Hinrichsen Foundation

Grants of between £500 and £3,000 are available for charities and organisations across the UK to deliver music projects that focus on the performance, commissioning, or recording of contemporary music. Applications that take artistic risks, promote diversity, consider sustainability, or are artist-led are encouraged. Deadline: 19 December 2025. More info here.

Opening Shot Scottish Film Development Programme - Final Checks Completion Fund

The scheme offers financial assistance to help projects in the final stages of production reach audiences. Grants of up to £5,000 are available to support a range of activities, including post-production, final edits and promotional activity. Funding can also cover access costs, distribution and marketing expenses, producer support, and festival submission fees or materials. The scheme aims to strengthen Scotland's short film sector by helping emerging creative talent share live action, animation or experimental films with wider audiences. Deadline for applications is 30 January 2026 (12:00). More info here. 

Weir Charitable Trust

The Weir Charitable Trust offers grants of up to £25,000 to small charities and community groups across Scotland with an annual income of less than £150,000 to deliver projects and activities that improve the quality of life for local communities, including: Culture - Supporting the heritage - tangible or otherwise - of Scotland, through projects that encourage participation in and preservation of Scotland's distinctive culture. Deadline: 6 February 2026. More info here.

Music for All Community Project Funding Programme

Grants are available to community groups, schools and individuals under a number of different categories, each with their own criteria and award amounts. More info here.

BFI National Lottery Creative Challenge Fund

Grants between £12,000 and £150,000 for funding which aims to support projects in feature film and narrative immersive media, including narrative, documentary and animation. The fund is designed to address challenges within the screen industry such as underrepresentation of certain genres, lack of early career producer opportunities and limited support for scalable projects with broad audience potential. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but must be submitted at least 16 weeks before the planned start of activity. All funded work must be completed by 31 March 2026. More info here. 

Arnold Clark Community Fund

UK registered charities and community groups who provide services that are widely accessible to their local community and are located within a 50-mile radius of an Arnold Clark branch can apply now for a Community Support grant of up to £1,000. Preference is given to smaller voluntary and community organisations. Funding can be used for arts and culture (music, books, art and theatre groups looking for money for transport, resources, venue hire, and special licences at arts and culture. There are no deadlines for applications. More info here

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Creative Scotland - Open Fund for Individuals

Aimed at supporting artists, writers, producers and other creative practitioners across Scotland, this fund is open to freelance and self-employed creatives aged 18 and over, offering grants ranging from £500 to £50,000. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. More info here.

National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations

Aims to support organisations who seek funding to undertake creative activity such as a specific project or production, a programme of creative work, or a period of research and development. Eligible organisations can apply for funding between £1k and £100k for projects or programmes lasting up to 18 months. Applications open all year round. More info here.