We are changing how we fund youth-led culture and creativity and will share our plans for a new funding programme in the New Year. As we prepare for the new programme, we will close to new expressions of interest towards youth-led culture and creativity at 5pm on 10 November 2023.
In our strategy for A Fairer Future, 'youth-led culture and creativity' is one of our two long-term outcomes in our priority for Arts and creativity making change. We want to rethink how we fund youth-led culture and creativity – to put young people at the heart of the process. To do this, we are changing how we fund work towards this outcome. More information on our plans for youth-led culture and creativity are below.
Our support for arts and creativity
In terms of other ways Esmée supports arts and creativity, there will be no change to how and what we fund towards:
- Our other outcome in Arts and creativity making change: a representative cultural workforce led by a new and diverse generation of cultural leaders.
- Our Community-led art and creativity priority.
We remain open to applications in both these areas on a rolling basis, with no deadlines. Read our guidance for support to learn more about work we're looking to support in these areas.
What’s changing for youth-led culture and creativity
We are working closely with our Involving Young People Collective to co-design the criteria for our funding towards this outcome, and how we assess the applications we receive.
From next year, we will be moving to a funding round with a deadline for applications for youth-led culture and creativity.
This will help us:
- Work with our young consultants in decision making on every aspect of the funding.
- Reach out proactively to different networks with more clarity on our criteria.
- Support learning and networking in an emerging field by bringing the group of funded organisations together.
- Develop a better understanding of this work, by comparing like with like in assessment.
Our long-term outcome for this work remains the same:
- Youth-led culture and creativity enhances young people’s lives, and enables them to influence change in their communities or wider society.
Temporary closure to applications
To prepare for the new programme, we will be closing to new expressions of interest for work towards youth-led culture and creativity at 5pm on 10 November 2023. Applications submitted before this date will be assessed in line with our existing guidance.
When can I apply to the new youth-led culture and creativity fund?
We plan to launch the new programme in February 2024 and will share details then. If you are interested in keeping updated about this, do sign up to our newsletter, or follow us on social media (we’re on LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads and Twitter).
What does this mean for you: FAQs
- I have not yet submitted an application
I want to apply, but I haven’t yet submitted an expression of interest.
For work that fits our current guidance for youth-led culture and creativity in our Arts and creativity making change priority, we recommend you delay your application until we launch our new guidance in February 2024. If you need to apply, now, we will be closing to new expressions of interest at 5pm on 10 November 2023. Any applications received will be assessed in line with our guidance.
If you have been invited to submit an expression of interest by a Funding Manager because your work towards youth-led culture and creativity, our advice is the same as above.
We remain open to other arts and creativity work towards:
- Arts and creativity making change: a representative cultural workforce led by a new diverse generation of cultural leaders.
- Community-led art and creativity.
See our guidance for support to learn more.
What if my work fits other outcomes or priorities in addition to your youth-led arts and creativity outcome?
If your work is a strong fit for one of our other areas of work that is open to applications, see our guidance on the relevant areas to your work and how to apply. However, if your work is a better fit for youth-led culture and creativity, we recommend you delay applying until we launch the new programme in February 2024. If you need to apply, now, we will be closing to new expressions of interest at 5pm on 10 November 2023. Any applications received will be assessed in line with our guidance.
- I have already submitted an application
I have submitted an expression of interest or full proposal and waiting to hear back.
If your application is in progress, thank you – your application will be assessed using our current guidance, and we will continue with the process as outlined in the email you were sent.
I have been invited to submit a full proposal.
We will continue with the process as outlined in the email you were sent, and your application will be assessed using our current guidance.
- I am currently funded by Esmée
Will my grant be affected by the changes?
No. The changes will not affect current funding. We are writing to all funded organisations whose work we have classed as youth-led culture and creativity to let them know of our plans, and we will let them know the details of the new programme in due course.
My grant closes in 2024 and I would like to discuss applying for further funding before my grant ends.
If your work fits our youth-led culture and creativity outcome, we recommend you delay your application until we launch our new guidance in February 2024. We will contact current partners with more information about the new funding programme in due course.
If you need to apply, now, please contact your Funding Manager. We will be closing to new expressions of interest at 5pm on 10 November 2023. Any applications received will be assessed in line with our guidance.
We remain open to other arts and creativity work towards:
- Arts and creativity making change: a representative cultural workforce led by a new diverse generation of cultural leaders.
- Community-led art and creativity.
See our guidance for support to learn more.
- General
What happens after 2024?
We will work closely with our Involving Young People Collective and organisations funded through the new Youth-led culture and creativity funding programme to understand the value - alongside any challenges - of working in this way. We will keep sharing our learning along the way. And whilst we can't yet say how things might change after 2024, we are committed to supporting work in this area as part of our strategy until the end of 2027.
If you have a question that isn’t answered above, please get in touch. We will keep updating this page with additional questions where appropriate.
