For artists, producers, cultural organisations and community groups across Wales, securing funding can often feel like navigating a complex and ever-changing landscape. Yet opportunities do exist, ranging from small grants that support individual creative development to major investment programmes capable of transforming organisations and communities.
Whether you're an emerging artist looking for mentorship, a theatre company preparing a new production, or a community organisation using creativity to bring people together, there are funding streams that may help turn ambitions into reality.
This guide highlights a selection of current opportunities that Welsh creatives and organisations may wish to explore, alongside sources of business support designed to help build long-term sustainability beyond grant funding alone.
Disclaimer
This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered funding, legal or professional advice. Funding criteria, deadlines, eligibility requirements and programme priorities can change. Applicants should always consult the relevant funder's guidance and contact the funding body directly to confirm eligibility and obtain the most up-to-date information before applying.
Research and Development
One of the most valuable opportunities for artists and organisations at the early stages of a project is Arts Council of Wales' Research and Development fund.
Designed to support the exploration and development of new ideas, the programme encourages ambitious artistic practice, experimentation and collaboration. Applications should demonstrate a clear intention to create work that will ultimately reach audiences and show potential for future success.
Funding is available at two levels:
Small awards up to £10,000
Large awards up to £30,000
This fund is particularly suited to artists and organisations looking to test ideas, develop partnerships, undertake research, run workshops or create early-stage material before applying for larger production funding.
Best suited to: Artists, creative practitioners, producers, arts organisations and collaborative partnerships.
Create and Engage
While Research and Development focuses on developing ideas, Create and Engage supports projects that are ready to connect with audiences and participants.
The programme funds the development, creation and delivery of high-quality arts experiences where public engagement sits at the heart of the project.
Eligible activities include:
Creating new work
Presenting and exhibiting work
Touring activity
Community participation projects
Cultural programming
Professional development activity for organisations
Funding is available through:
Small awards up to £10,000
Large awards up to £60,000
Projects should demonstrate alignment with one or more of Arts Council of Wales' strategic priorities, including creativity, equalities and engagement, Welsh language development, climate justice, talent development and organisational transformation.
Best suited to: Arts organisations, festivals, community projects, participatory programmes and touring work.
Creative Steps for Individuals
Unlike project-based funding, Creative Steps for Individuals focuses on investing directly in creative people and their professional development.
The programme supports artists who want to strengthen their practice and build sustainable careers. Funding is not intended for the creation of new work or project delivery, but rather for the activities that help artists progress professionally.
Support may include:
Mentoring and coaching
Peer-to-peer learning
Training courses
Professional networking
Business development support
Marketing and social media training
Website development
Equipment and resources
Support with establishing a new organisation
Importantly, applicants can also include costs such as:
Their own time
Freelancer fees
Access costs
Childcare expenses
Caring responsibilities
The programme is open to artists working across a wide range of disciplines and is specifically designed to improve access for individuals who identify as ethnically and culturally diverse, D/deaf, disabled or neurodivergent.
Best suited to: Individual artists seeking career development rather than project funding.
Major Productions
At the other end of the funding spectrum sits Major Productions, one of Arts Council of Wales' most substantial investment programmes.
Supporting large-scale live performance work, the fund is designed to help create exceptional productions capable of reaching significant audiences across Wales and beyond.
Funding ranges from:
£100,000 to £300,000
The programme supports:
Theatre
Dance
Musical theatre
Applications may include new productions, restaged works, scaling existing productions or touring projects.
The emphasis is on artistic excellence, audience reach and showcasing Welsh talent on a national or international stage.
Best suited to: Established producing organisations and large-scale creative partnerships.
Awards for All Wales
For many smaller organisations, Awards for All Wales (National Lottery) can be one of the most accessible funding opportunities available.
Grants range from:
£300 to £20,000
Projects can run for up to:
Two years
The programme supports activity that:
Brings people together
Strengthens communities
Helps individuals reach their potential
Improves community spaces
Responds to cost-of-living challenges
While not exclusively an arts fund, many community-focused creative projects fit naturally within these priorities.
Best suited to: Community arts groups, grassroots festivals, local cultural organisations and volunteer-led initiatives.
People and Places
People and Places (National Lottery) provides larger-scale, long-term support for organisations working closely with communities across Wales.
Funding ranges from:
£20,001 to £700,000
Projects can run for up to:
Five years
The programme is built around the principle that communities should help shape, design and deliver the projects intended to benefit them.
Applications should demonstrate how they:
Build on community strengths
Involve local people
Address identified community needs
Consider environmental sustainability
Projects must also contribute towards at least one key mission:
Bringing communities together
Helping children and young people thrive
Supporting healthier lives
Promoting environmental sustainability
For arts organisations working in community development, wellbeing, youth engagement or place-making, this can be a particularly attractive funding opportunity.
Best suited to: Arts charities, community cultural organisations and place-based partnerships.
The UK Fund
The UK's largest National Lottery funding programme offers grants from:
£500,000 to £5 million
Unlike many funding programmes, The UK Fund is not designed for brand-new ideas. Instead, it supports organisations with proven models that are already creating positive impact and are ready to scale.
Projects should be capable of influencing systems, policy or practice and delivering benefits across multiple UK nations.
Priority themes include:
Building relationships between different communities
Meaningful online connection
Community influence and decision-making
Youth-led systems change
Increasing youth voice in organisations
Arts and cultural organisations may be eligible where creative practice is helping deliver wider social outcomes and demonstrable change.
Best suited to: Large organisations with an established track record and ambitions to grow impact nationally.
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
One of the UK's most significant independent funders, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation supports organisations capable of creating long-term impact and systemic change.
The foundation focuses on organisations that:
Create lasting change
Influence policy or practice
Work collaboratively
Centre lived experience
Promote justice and equity
Key features include:
Minimum grant of £30,000
No maximum grant amount
Most grants lasting three to five years
Rolling application process
Importantly, funding can support:
Core organisational costs
Staff salaries
Project delivery
Organisational overheads
Unrestricted funding for charities
Competition is significant, and organisations should demonstrate strong alignment with the funder's strategic priorities.
Best suited to: Established charities and cultural organisations seeking long-term growth and wider influence.
Beyond Grants: Building a More Sustainable Creative Future
While grants can provide essential support, long-term resilience often comes from developing stronger business models, diversified income streams and sustainable organisational structures.
The most successful cultural organisations are often those that combine grant income with earned revenue, strategic partnerships and strong governance.
Cwmpas, Social Business Wales and Arts Council Wales Business Support
For organisations looking to strengthen their sustainability, Cwmpas and its Social Business Wales programme provide support that goes beyond traditional funding.
Rather than providing grants, Cwmpas helps organisations strengthen their foundations through:
Business planning
Governance support
Social enterprise development
Income diversification
Leadership development
Financial sustainability planning
Cooperative and community ownership models
For arts organisations, this support can be invaluable when considering how to reduce dependency on grant funding and build more resilient operating models.
Questions organisations may wish to explore include:
How can we generate more earned income?
Should we consider a social enterprise model?
How can we strengthen governance and strategic planning?
What would a more sustainable future look like?
Alongside its funding programmes, Arts Council of Wales also delivers support through its dedicated Business Support Team.
The team works across the sector to identify emerging challenges and opportunities, using research-led approaches to develop targeted interventions and support programmes.
This can include:
Leadership development
Skills and workforce development
Training programmes
Workshops
Knowledge-sharing opportunities
Organisational resilience support
Sector-wide research initiatives
This work recognises that thriving cultural sectors require more than funding alone. Building stronger organisations, supporting leadership and sharing expertise are all essential parts of creating sustainable cultural ecosystems.
Final Thoughts
From individual artists seeking mentorship to organisations delivering large-scale productions and community transformation programmes, there is a growing range of opportunities available across Wales and beyond.
The key is understanding not only which fund is available, but which fund is the right fit for your ambitions, scale and stage of development.
Sometimes the most appropriate opportunity may be a small professional development award. For others, it may be a major Lottery investment, an independent foundation grant or specialist business support designed to strengthen long-term resilience.
Whatever stage you're at, investing time in understanding the wider funding landscape could unlock opportunities that help turn creative ideas into lasting impact.
Disclaimer
This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered funding, legal or professional advice. Funding criteria, deadlines, eligibility requirements and programme priorities can change. Applicants should always consult the relevant funder's guidance and contact the funding body directly to confirm eligibility and obtain the most up-to-date information before applying.
