Arts Council England is offering grants through its new Research Grants Programme 2015-18 to provide opportunities for collaborative work to develop the evidence base around the impact of arts and culture.
The Research Grants Programme 2015-18 will help build on collective knowledge and deepen understanding of the impact of arts and culture and to promote greater collaboration and co-operation between the arts and cultural sector and research partners.
The central aims of the Programme are:
• Furthering our knowledge: Deepening understanding of the impact and benefits of arts and culture
• Increasing capacity: Promote greater collaboration and co-operation between the arts and cultural sector and research partners
• Working in partnership: Working in partnership with others to build and improve the evidence base around the impacts of arts and culture
• Influencing: Persuade commissioning authorities to invest in culture to bring positive cultural, social, educational and economic change
The application must be a joint collaboration between an arts and/or cultural organisation and a research partner. The arts and/or cultural organisation must be the lead applicant.
Eligible arts and cultural organisations include (but are not limited to):
• Arts organisations
• Museums
• Libraries
• Music education hubs
• Local authority service departments
The research partner can be an individual, team or organisation with a minimum of three years’ experience of carrying out cultural, social, educational or economic research.
A total of £700,000 is available for 2015-16, with indicative budgets of £900,000 available for 2016-17 and 2017-18.
In the first round (2015-16) organisations can apply for funding for projects that last for up to three years. Applications can be made for grants between £50,000 and £100,000 per year.
The deadline for applications is: 12 March 2015.
For further information and to apply, visit: www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/apply-funding/apply-for-funding/research-grants-programme-2015-18/