The Art Fund Student Opportunities programme provides grants for UK museums, libraries, galleries and visual arts organisations so that they can offer paid opportunities for full-time university students to gain meaningful, developmental work experience that enables them to further explore their interest in the arts, and related future career options before they graduate.
The programme encourages applications that focus on facilitating public engagement with art. This can be in person or online. Costs associated with paying students for the time they spend supporting an organisation in delivering projects can be funded. Costs are based on the current national and London living wage rates as detailed on the GOV.UK website.
Eligible applicants are UK public museums, galleries, historic houses, libraries and archives that:
1. Can demonstrate that they operate to standards of best practice within the sector (for example, through Arts Council England accreditation), and
2.Have a public presence (for example, a building open to the public) or a public outcome (for example, a festival or public art programme).
The aim of the programme is to provide the following benefits to university students:
o An increased awareness of the range of careers available in the cultural sector.
o Networking opportunities with arts professionals and other students across the UK.
o Practical experience of working within an arts organisation, helping them to build their CV.
o The opportunity to help diversify the voices that contribute to how arts organisations operate, enhancing cultural experiences for all young people, and
o Training that empowers them to feel confident in their area of responsibility and develop skills
Benefits to hosting organisations include:
o Building knowledge of how to effectively engage youth/student audiences by working directly with students.
o Developing a wider and more diverse range of voices within the host organisation, and
o Helping develop the diversity of the whole cultural sector, creating a fit for purpose and engaged workforce.
Grants of up to £10,000 are available. There is no specified requirement for matched funding.
Funding is not available for:
o Artists’ groups.
o Commercial organisations and profit-making companies, including Private Limited Companies, Public Limited Companies, Sole Traders and Unlimited Companies.
o Core staffing costs or operational overheads.
o Hospitals and healthcare organisations.
o Limited Liability Partnerships.
o Organisations with a focus on music, drama, dance and art forms outside the visual art.
o Places of worship, or
o Retrospective funding for projects that have already been delivered.
To apply, eligible organisations are required to create an account on the Art Fund website (scroll down to the section headed "How to Apply"), where further information and guidance about the Student Opportunities programme can also be found.
Applications may be made at any time and are considered on an ongoing basis. Applying organisations should receive a decision within 8-10 weeks of submitting their application.
Contact details for the Fund are:
Robert Dingle
Programme Partnerships Manager
Art Fund
2 Granary Square
King's Cross
London
N1C 4BH
Tel: 0207 225 4871
Email: rdingle(at)artfund.org
