Cultural Partnership Grants 2023-26

About the grant
The Cultural Partnership grant programme was set up in 2011 to provide core funding for cultural organisations and has run for three consecutive rounds.

The new round of funding will run from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026. Grants of £10,000–£40,000 per annum are available.

Aim
To fund and support cultural organisations that contribute to making Manchester a thriving, equitable, vibrant and liveable city with high-quality cultural and creative experiences that all Manchester people can benefit from.

Priorities
Cultural Partnership funding is for organisations committed to delivering high-quality work that is inclusive and equitable, representative of the city’s residents, and that contributes to Manchester’s zero-carbon ambition.

Organisations will need to demonstrate that they meet all four of the following priorities.

1. High quality – We create brave, bold, and aspirational culture with life-enhancing impacts. Quality is defined by the people we work with. It is measured by the impact we have and the progress we make.
2. Inclusion and equity – We recognise the systemic inequities that impact on Manchester residents’ health, wellbeing, and quality of life. We are committed to widening access, participation and progression in culture and creativity.
3. Representation – We are on a well-planned journey to becoming representative of the diversity of the city of Manchester. We can demonstrate how this is reflected in decision-making and leadership roles in our organisation.
4. Zero-carbon – We will progress towards becoming zero-carbon by 2038 or earlier, and develop climate change action plans in line with this.

Relevance
The grants will support organisations that can:

• Demonstrate awareness of the current context for Manchester residents
• Contribute to the delivery of the Our Manchester Strategy
• Respond to the changes and challenges the world faces

Who is eligible to apply?
The Cultural Partnership grant programme provides core funding for:

• Cultural or arts-based organisations – as set out in the organisation’s Memorandum and Articles of Association. This includes: Combined Arts, Dance, Museum, Film and Broadcast, Heritage, Literature, Visual Arts, Digital Art, Music, Photography, Theatre and Performance, and Craft
• Constituted community and voluntary, and not-for-profit organisations
• Organisations based in the city  of Manchester or that have a track record of delivering activity that benefits the people who live in or visit the city, or organisations that benefit the local economy

Information sessions
7 September, 2pm-3.30pm, Online via Zoom Register here
16 September, 10.30am-12pm, The Mechanics Centre, Manchester, M1 6DD Register here 

Apply to the Cultural Partnership Grants 2023-26

Deadline for applications: 7 October 2022,  9am