5 principles for happier spending 😀 + SEISS info & funding
The week in Creative Money 25 September, 2020
Financial guidance for creative professionals
Creative Money aims to have an open conversation about finances in the creative industries.
It was founded in July, 2020 in an attempt to address a frustrating lack of sound financial guidance for creative workers and is written by me, Matt Parker, a music journalist and lecturer.
Hello!
This week I've been thinking more about the link between money and happiness, particularly with regard to our spending.
Previously, I wrote about how I started to ask why I was spending and relate that to my happiness. I've found it useful for appraising regular purchases and saving money without suffering that sense of prohibition. This week I'm taking the theme further and looking at the kinds of spending that are proven to generate the most happiness.
It's inspired by a great book called 'Happy Money', which I think will appeal to a lot of creative workers, given our collective inclination to prioritise feeling good about our work over earning capacity. The authors, Dunn and Norton, have condensed thousands of hour of research into five simple principles for happier spending.
Elsewhere, the big news in Creative Money land this week is the impact of Rishi Sunak's new Winter Economy Plan, including job/income support schemes for the next six months.
Once again, the self-employed have been given a rawer deal than the employed, the excluded remain excluded and there has been no sector-specific support for creative workers.
Take a look at the chart on The Guardian piece (also linked below) showing the percentage of various industries dependent on the furlough. The Arts, entertainment and recreation sector has by some margin the largest percentage of firms using the current schemes.
I think this is a particularly unjust outcome for those involved in live events. If you agree and you'd like to make some noise about this, the Musicians Union has an updated 'Write to your MP' template you can use. Feel free to tweak it to shout about whichever branch of the creative industries you work within. Your voice does count.
Until next week,
Matt
On the site this week:
5 principles for happier spending
How to get more bang from your bucks
How to spend money: 3 questions to ask yourself
Think beyond just what you're spending. Instead, ask why?
What do you need to know this week?
UK government to cover 22% of worker pay for six months, though STILL no tailored support for cultural sector or help for #ExcludedUK groups. (The Guardian)
UK Self-employment Income Support Scheme beneficiaries could get two further grants (but only of 20% of typical profits) across six months – and self-employed can further defer tax payments due in January, paying over 12 months. (MoneySavingExpert)
Write to your MP to request tailored support for music and cultural workers (The MU)
Parent or carer working in performing arts? PIPA want you to tell them how you're doing amid Covid-19 – survey (PIPA)
Working from home for another six months: what it means for your finances (Which?)
Grants and funding opportunities
PRS Hitmaker fund
Hitmaker support offers songwriters, producers and music creators working behind the scenes in popular music with grants of up to £10,000 – need at least five credited works with PRS for Music. Deadline: 28 September, 2020
NEW: Film Hub North Scratch Me - Directors Call-Out
Scratch Me is a new filmmaking lab where creatives can develop exciting, original, can’t-look-away characters to lead film/TV projects. Provides a two-month programme of masterclasses and mentoring sessions on directing and then the chance to create a short film. Deadline: 29 September, 2020
Manchester International Festival Sounds grants
Grants of up to £1,000 for 10 creatives based in Greater Manchester who are involved in music, whether professional or amateur – musicians and DJs, producers and promoters, even label owners and managers. Deadline: 2 October, 2020
Society Of Authors' Audio Drama Imison Award
A prize of £3,000 for audio drama scripts by a writer new to the medium which were broadcast or made available online between 1 October 2019 and 31 October 2020. Deadline: 4 October, 2020
NEW: Society Of Author's Audio Drama Tinniswood Award
Radio scriptwriters with works broadcast between 1 October 2019 and 31 October 2020 are invited to send in their entries for the 2021 Tinniswood Award. Prize of £3,000. Deadline: 4 October, 2020
Camden People's Theatre: Starting Blocks 2021 seed funding
9 seed commissions to artists from marginalised backgrounds, to support the development of innovative new theatre projects. Successful candidates will receive £750, one week’s rehearsal space (or one week’s supported digital R&D), and the opportunity to perform as part of CPT's artistic programme. Deadline: 5 October, 2020
PRS Women Make Music fund
Supports the development of outstanding women, trans and non binary songwriters and composers of all genres and backgrounds at different stages of their career. Deadline: 5 October, 2020
PRS Open Fund for Music Creators
Supports the development of outstanding songwriters and composers of all genres and backgrounds at different stages of their career with grants of up to £5,000 in the creation of new music, touring, recording and promotion. Deadline: 5th October, 2020
NEW: Neal Street Screenwriting Bursary
Open to emerging Black, Asian and minority ethnic screenwriters. Five successful writers will each receive £20,000 to write an original screenplay, which can either be a TV pilot or a feature film script. Deadline: 9 October, 2020
NEW: The Cultural Spring seeks artists/creatives to run paid workshops online
Seeking 3-4 artists or creative practitioners to develop and deliver participatory creative workshops that can be delivered online. Deadline: 9 October, 2020
NEW: The Film and TV Covid-19 recovery fund
Provides grants of £750 a month for up to six months (up to £4,500) to active workers in film, TV and cinema provide grants of £750 a month for up to six months (up to £4,500) to active workers in film, TV and cinema affected by the crisis. Deadline: 12 October, 2020
Help For Musicians Peter Whittingham Jazz Award
Provides financial grants to emerging jazz acts to support those at a career tipping point. This year will see three acts receive the £5,000 grant and, for the first time, the awardees will receive tailored 1:1 business advice sessions with industry experts. Deadline: 12 October, 2020
NEW: Opera North Resonance residencies
A workshop programme for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic professional musicians and composers, working in any genre, and based in the north of England. Offers free rehearsal space in Leeds, grants of up to £3,500 and technical support. Deadline: 19 October, 2020
Music Managers Forum (MMF)/ YouTube Accelerator Programme
A year long artist managers' training programme with up to £15,000 in funding support. the world’s first independent funding and professional development programme designed solely for artists, songwriters and producer managers. Deadline: 19 October, 2020
NEW: Factory Futures Training Academy
A new, free training programme designed to help young people from the Greater Manchester area to learn key skills through free work experience programmes, traineeships and paid internships, in order to start careers in the creative industries. Deadline: 20 October, 2020
Unlimited launches new commission round for disabled artists
Unlimited is an arts commissioning programme that enables new work by disabled artists to reach UK and international audiences. They will have £500,000 to commission work from disabled artists and companies in three strands: Main Commission awards, Research and Development awards and Emerging Artists awards. Applications don't open until October, but they're getting the word out nice and early. Deadline: 27 October, 2020
HelpMusicians Financial Hardship Funding Phase 2
Support for music professionals facing hardship due to COVID-19 and excluded from the government's furlough and SEISS schemes. Deadline: 31 October, 2020
Alfred Bradley Bursary Award
The Alfred Bradley Bursary Award is a £5,000 writing bursary to Northern writers new to radio and the chance of a Radio 4 drama commission. Deadline: 6 November, 2020
Hope Mill Theatre Through The Mill Playwrighting Prize
Opportunity for writers to have their work fully produced by and at Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester. Winner will receive a monetary prize of £5,000 plus one-to-one mentoring with award winning writer Jonathan Harvey (Beautiful Thing, Hushabye Mountain). Deadline: 27 November, 2020.
Royal Variety Charity Financial Assistance grants
The Royal Variety Charity is uniquely positioned to provide financial assistance to anyone who serves any facet of the Entertainment Industry. Deadline: ongoing
The White Pube Writers Grant funded by Creative Debuts
£500 given out monthly to a working class writer based in the UK. This grant has been set up to support writers of all ages who are early in their careers and would benefit from this no-strings attached financial support to help them in whatever they like. Deadline: ongoing
This week's to-do list:
Check your email address on HaveIBeenPwned.com. It can tell you if your data has been compromised and posted online at some point (and, therefore, if you're at risk of fraud).