Tag: creative organisations

Creative Scotland: Interested in Multi-Year Funding?

On 21 October, we’ll be opening a call for cultural and creative organisations based in Scotland to submit Expressions of Interest in Multi-Year Funding, with a deadline of 18 November

This call for Expressions of Interest is an information gathering exercise, to provide us with insight on the likely demand for future Multi-Year Funding –

PLEASE NOTE: Submitting an Expression of Interest will not have any bearing on an organisation’s eligibility to apply for Multi-Year Funding when the formal application process opens.

DETAILS

We would like to provide advance notice to cultural and creative organisations based in Scotland, of our intention to seek Expressions of Interest for Multi-Year Funding from April 2028. 

Timeline

The call for Expressions of Interest will open at 11am on Wednesday 21 October 2026, and close at 5pm on Wednesday 18 November 2026, and will be accessible through the Creative Scotland website.  

The full application process for new applicants will open in early 2027, with the next cohort of Multi-Year Funded Organisations in place from April 2028.

Purpose

This call for Expressions of Interest is an information gathering exercise, to provide us with insight on the likely demand for future Multi-Year Funding, in terms of both the number of organisations seeking this type of funding support, and the likely financial ask. 

While providing invaluable information on the future potential for the Multi-Year Funding Programme to support culture and creativity in Scotland, this will also help us shape the detail of the formal application process.  

Expressions of Interest will not be assessed, and no decisions will be made regarding individual organisations at this stage. Submitting an Expression of Interest will not have any bearing on an organisation’s eligibility to apply for Multi-Year Funding when the formal application process opens.  

Information required 

Expressions of Interest will be invited from organisations currently in receipt of Multi-Year Funding along with those interested in joining the programme from 2028.

A short form will be available via our website where organisations will be asked to provide summary information on their area of practice and an indication of the level of annual funding they anticipate requiring, on an annual basis, from April 2028. 

Find out more

Any questions on the Expression of Interest, the Multi-Year Funding Programme, or any other aspect of Creative Scotland’s funding, should be directed to our Enquiries Service. 

Background

Information and guidance on the Expression of Interest in Multi-Year Funding from April 2028 will be made available on our website from 11am on 21 October. 

Feedback gathered during the original development of Multi-Year Funding (MYF) called for a move away from a single, large-scale application round towards a rolling, continuous programme that reduces the administrative burden on applicants and the wider sector.

This would include the potential for organisations already in receipt of MYF, subject to review, to be offered continued funding through this programme beyond the original three-year agreement.

Alongside this, organisations not currently in receipt of MYF would have the opportunity to join the programme.

Creative Scotland is currently developing the details of this next stage of the programme, and the Expression of Interest response will help with that development. 

Further information on the current Multi-Year Funding Programme can be found on the Creative Scotland website: Multi-Year Funding | Creative Scotland 

Culture organisations set to benefit as unique funding opportunity reopens

A fund that connects visionary culture organisations with business sponsorship opportunities will open for its seventh round of applications this month.  

Managed by the charity Culture & Business Scotland and supported by the Scottish Government, the fund will provide backing of up to £12,000 each to as many creative organisations as possible ranging from grassroots initiatives to established cultural events.  

When distributing funds, Culture & Business Scotland also account for an organisation’s ethical and environmental credentials, with a focus on supporting organisations which have implemented Fair Work policies, incorporated carbon neutral plans and embedded equality, diversity, and inclusion into their activities.  

Many organisations and businesses have benefited from this fund in the past. A significant beneficiary of the Culture & Business Scotland fund is Edinburgh-based theatre company Vision Mechanics, which used that investment to lever funds from A.T. Best Handlers Ltd in 2019, enabling the creation of Scotland’s largest puppet.

Made from recycled materials, the puppet, known as ‘Storm’, undertook a tour of the country to raise awareness of marine pollution and the urgency of caring for the environment.

The project culminated in the appearance of Storm at Cop26. As well as this, the project addressed community and social empowerment and equalities, diversity and inclusion and also generated significant local cultural tourism benefits.  

For the business, it met a number of external facing business needs, such as image enhancement, business and brand awareness, marketing, but also addressed internal business aspirations, including staff relations and development and creative development. 

Tommy McCormick, Culture & Business Scotland Fund Manager, said: “Since its launch, the Culture & Business Fund has helped to forge impactful relationships between culture organisations and businesses, with powerful and innovative results.

“We are delighted to reopen the fund for a seventh year, extending opportunities to a wider range of organisations and providing creatives with the resources to bring their artistic visions to life.” 

Vision Mechanics, the organisation behind the Storm puppet, added: “We could not have made Storm without this sponsorship. It was a nail-biting budget and this deal made it possible. 

“The additional funding from CBFS was essential. If it had not been available, we might have had a telehandler, but perhaps not been able to build the puppet.” 

Since its inauguration in 2017, the fund has enabled over 200 projects across Scotland to transform their artistic and creative visions into reality.

Over £1.2 million of funding has been awarded so far to creative projects across the country, from Grampian Art Hospital Trust in the north to Dumfries and Galloway Art Festival in the south. 

The fund serves Culture & Business Scotland’s commitment to facilitating meaningful connections between the culture and business sectors, creating the possibility for businesses to sponsor creative projects with vision and scope.  

Vision Mechanics received thousands and thousands of positive comments that can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/VisionMechanicsLeith.  

Applications are open from 17th May, and organisations interested in applying to the fund can do so here: https://www.culturebusinessfund.scot