About the programme
The Arts programme supports the development and dissemination of new ideas to increase people's experience, enjoyment and involvement in the arts in the UK.
Our funding benefits organisations and groups through our Open Grants and Special Initiatives. Our Open Grants scheme recieves applications from organisations proposing innovative activities that we think will have a valuable impact for individuals and communities, organisations, and policy and practice. We work closely with applicants to develop high-quality proposals for consideration by the Arts Committee and Board of Trustees.
We also operate Special Initiatives. Some of these, such as Awards for Artists and the Breakthrough Fund, seek to support individuals and organisations, and others, such as our new work on Artists working in participatory settings, focus on developing a sector within the arts.
We also seek to further the understanding of the relationships between the arts and our other programmes. We are interested in how participation in the arts contributes to education and learning processes, and how the arts and/or education and learning affect social change.
The programme operates in the UK only.
