Culture Liverpool, Liverpool City Council are thrilled to invite applications to the 2024 Black History Month Creative commission grants. This has been made possible thanks to funding from UK Shared Prosperity fund. These will sit as part of a wider programme for BHM24.
They are looking for high quality, creative and innovative proposals that acknowledge Black History (especially in Liverpool), but also celebrate black creatives and communities’ heritage today.
Applications should support on or all of the ‘UKSPF aims’
- The support of building a sense of pride for the people of Liverpool
- Contributing to increasing life chances
- Positive social impact
- Supporting sense of belonging for both artists and audiences
Activity should take place in October, but community/ education engagement could run Sept to early November 2024. There is a total of £10,000 available across 6 strands with the hope of awarding 6-8 creative grant commissions. Awarded grants will be up to a maximum of £2000.
- Dance
- Visual art
- Community engagement
- Storytelling, Drama and Literature
- Music
- Education (Artists to work in school or with teachers)
Education proposals should link with 1 or multiple schools and also with LCC Race equality Officer for education. This role includes developing a plan for our city’s education system which promotes racial equality and diversity, whilst supporting our schools to on their journey to become anti-racist institutions. This involves looking at everything from workforce diversity to attainment and behaviour.
Context
Black History Month (BHM) is an annual programme of events, which takes place every October and aims to recognise the contribution and achievements of those with African or Caribbean heritage whose contribution and value maybe overlooked, ignored, or distorted.
As part of this, they are inviting artists and creatives across the city the opportunity to create/produce an artistic piece, event or activity that can be hosted during this time and for inclusion on the Liverpool Black History Month website. Black History Month (BHM) returns in 2024, still working to ensure that issues of race, racism, and the invaluable contributions of Black individuals and communities to remain at the forefront of public consciousness. BHM24 stands in unwavering solidarity with all communities facing racism and marginalisation.
They want their 2024 programme to spark change and celebrate the resilience of our communities through thought-provoking events, including art showcases, spoken word performances, dance, theatre and musical exhibitions, and panel discussions.
Who can apply?
- Liverpool based artists and or those that can demonstrate working with a Black community in Liverpool City Council area
- Freelance artists, small artist collectives or organisation
- Please be aware that you need all necessary insurances in place
Ineligible:
- CAIP funded organisations. We are though open to artists and other groups collaborating with these organisations.
- They are unable to fund refreshments as part of the grant monies but this can be in part of your overall budget.
Things to note:
- There are 6 strands. When applying please select which strand you are applying for.
- Please do not apply to multiple strands. Maximum ask £2000
- These grant commissions will sit as part of a wider programme for BHM24.
- Ideally the request will represent a contribution towards the overall cost of delivering a project or idea. For freelance artists, we appreciate that the request is likely to be for the full amount required to deliver a proposal.
- There might be the opportunity for successful applicants to use a space in St Georges Hall to platform work.
- Culture Liverpool, LCC reserves the right to make changes to this programme.
What Makes a Strong Proposal?
- Artistic excellence
- Creatively interesting
- Artists of, or working with Black diasporas and in partnership with communities
- There are elements that can inform education or wider learning around Black History for our residents.
Click here to complete the application form
What you will need to include:
- Name of artist/ group and contact details/ any social media links
- Title of your proposal/ activity
- A description of your Creative proposal/ activity/event and how it meets the above criteria, what will it achieve?
- A budget highlighting artistic costs, venue hire, staff management, delivery costs and any other costs as appropriate
- Delivery plan (i.e. timescale of delivery, when things will happen)
- Amount requested
- Total costs including any other funding or in-kind support you have secured for the delivery of the activity
N.B. This has been made possible thanks to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, successful applicant will need to agree acknowledgement of this and use of logos etc. A short summary/ post BHM24 evaluation will also be required. We will try to do this as a template form for completion but images, media etc are also welcomed.
Timeframe
- 12noon, Tuesday 13 August 2024 – deadline for proposals.
No late applications will be accepted.
- End Aug/ early September 2024 funding decisions made, and applicants informed.
- Sept date tbc– marketing template submitted to Culture Liverpool for inclusion of the BHM24 activity on Culture Liverpool’s website. (A link for this will be provided)
- October 2024: BHM 24 programme
- Nov 2024 -Jan 2025 Monitoring and evaluation
Culture Liverpool, Liverpool City Council reserves the right to close applications early in the event of high demand.