This funding round is now closed for applications. Round 2 will open on Monday 8 January 2024.

About the Fund

Camden Council’s Cultural Education and Learning Support Fund will enable Camden-based cultural organisations to deliver cultural education and learning projects that promote engagement in free to access high-quality cultural experiences in the borough through grants of up to £25,000 cash per project.

The fund will run from June 2023 to March 2026 and will open for applications across 3 funding rounds, with a total pot of £100,000 available within each round. Organisations can apply in all 3 rounds, however projects cannot run concurrently and the maximum combined grant total across all 3 rounds will be £45,000 per organisation.

We expect to make no more than one award of £25,000 per round, and welcome applications of all sizes. We expect the fund to be oversubscribed and organisations that are applying for the maximum award will need to demonstrate impact, outcomes and legacy commensurate to the size of award.

The fund is open to Camden-based cultural organisations with a track record of delivering outreach in community or school settings in the borough. Successful applicants will be required to commit match funding of at least 10% (this can be a mix of cash and in-kind, with a minimum 5% cash match).

Priority Aims

1. To increase participation and engagement in cultural experiences in Camden by children and young people from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds
2. To create more accessible opportunities for learning, career pathways and talent development
3. To nurture and cultivate sustainable delivery models embedded within cultural organisations

Priority Outcomes for Camden’s Children and Young People

• More children and young people will have opportunities to experience and participate in the arts, particularly those who currently do not engage in arts and culture projects
• More creative projects in schools and youth settings
• Cultural projects that are informed and influenced by children and young people and address their needs and interests
• Projects create opportunities for career pathways in the cultural and creative sectors or ignite and interest in developing a career in the arts and culture sector
• Participants learn new creative skills and gain knowledge and confidence to seek and access cultural experiences, training and mentoring
• Participants benefit through personal enrichment and wellbeing from participating in arts and cultural activities

Priority Outcomes for Camden Cultural Organisations

• Projects will have a reach beyond organisations’ current established audiences and will engage children and young people from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds who may currently experience barriers to participation
• Organisations will have an ongoing strategy for sustaining engagement with newly engaged children and young people from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds beyond the life of the project
• Organisations will have developed deeper relationships across school, community and youth settings and a clearer understanding of local needs, to inform future delivery
• Projects will embed learning from community outreach and engagement from this project into their audiences strategy to strategically nurture diverse audiences going forward, including both community outreach and on-site participation at cultural venues