It's almost our birthday!
The week in Creative Money - 24 June, 2021
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 relatable financial guidance for creative workers and is written by me, Matt Parker, a music journalist and lecturer.
Hello! Did you know that by the time of the next newsletter the site will also be celebrating its first birthday? 🎂 Hooray! Prepare your party hats and poppers (no, not that kind of poppers). It’ll be a classy, restrained affair.
This week I have been on a run of editorial shift work so have not had the chance to finish the next investing piece. That’ll be along by the time of the next update. In the meantime, you’ll find the usual roundup of money news for creative-types and updated funding opportunities below.
As ever, my approach to social media is entirely lacklustre – I don’t really want to do it, so I mostly don’t. This means the only way this newsletter grows (as it does every week) is by you sharing it.
If you fancy giving myself/Creative Money an early birthday present and passing it on to anyone else you know working, or hoping to work in the creative industries that’d be a MASSIVE help.
Until next time,
Matt
Sharing is caring! Support Creative Money by passing it on…
What do you need to know this week?
Some essential money tips in this guide to going freelance with the ace Anna Codrea-Rado and Alison Grade (Harpers Bazaar)
The TV Time Project website is now live - track your real hours and make working in TV better (Time Project)
Which? has put together this actually helpful list of 50 ways to save money (Which?)
Five simple steps for preparing a project budget (Young Classical Artists Trust)
(Six months old but really good…) How I Manage my Money: A self-employed puppeteer on £21,600 a year (iNews)
And finally, a statement…
Grants and funding opportunities for UK creative workers
CLOSING: Sound and Music New Voices
New Voices is an artist development programme that supports composers at pivotal stages of their careers to explore new ideas, new sounds and new music. Participants will receive a £1,500 bursary and up to a £6,000 production budget to create a new work and share this with an audience. Deadline: 25 June, 2021
CLOSING: Elan Valley Creative Wales Fellowship Award 2021-22
Offers established creative practitioners, based in Wales, a chance to experiment and develop their practice, while giving them time away from usual commitments in a beautiful, inspiring setting. The Fellowship includes six months’ accommodation within a one-year period, and a £9,000 bursary. Deadline: 25 June, 2021
CLOSING: PRS Foundation Composers’ Fund
An opportunity for composers with a strong track record, giving direct access to funding at pivotal stages in their career. Grants of up to £10,000. Deadline: 28 June, 2021
CLOSING: Liverpool Philharmonic Rushworth Composition Prize
Opportunity for an early-career composer aged 18+, who writes original music, to develop their talent through a wide range of support and guidance from across the music profession. Includes £1,000 cash award. Deadline: 30 June, 2021
CLOSING: Liberty R&D grants for D/deaf and disabled artists
Funding for projects ranging from £3,000 to £10,000 and successful applicants will be invited to share their project’s work-in-progress as part of Lewisham’s London Borough of Culture Opening event in January 2022. Deadline: 30 June, 2021
CLOSING: DRF Writers Award
An award of £10,000 will be presented to a first-time prose writer whose submission demonstrates literary talent and who would benefit from financial support to complete their work. Deadline: 1 July, 2021
Aardman Academy remote scholarship
Two funded places available for the forthcoming Aardman/Creative Access online stop motion animation course beginning this September. 12-week course. Deadline: 4 July, 2021
Help Musicians Ian Fleming Musical Theatre Award
Students who wish to study Musical Theatre (Voice and Musical Direction) can apply for financial support of up to £5,000 towards study and living costs for the next academic year (2021/2022). Deadline: 5 July, 2021
Help Musicians Sybil Tutton Opera Award
Students who wish to study Opera as postgraduates can apply for financial support of up to £5,000 towards study and living costs for the next academic year (2021/2022). Deadline: 5 July, 2021
Collaborative Touring Network call-out
The Collaborative Touring Network is looking to work with an artist, a group of artists or a company to make and tour a live show nationally, between September 2021 and September 2022. £72k in creative fees, £20k in production budget in any performance form. Deadline: 5 July, 2021
Youth Music NextGen Fund (Round 1)
Offers young creatives grants of up to £2,500 to make their ideas happen. Open to 18–25-year-olds (and under-30s who identify as Disabled). Successful applicants will use the money to launch a creative project, idea or business. Deadline: 7 July, 2021
BBC Open Music Radio mentorship scheme
30 places available for individuals over the age of 18 (on our start date of 6 September 2021) from across the UK. You will be matched with a BBC mentor and experience training days, masterclasses and networking opportunities. Deadline: 8 July, 2021
Roundhouse 18-30 Self Made Accelerator Programme
A three month course specifically designed for businesses in the creative industries. Through weekly workshops, mentoring, pitch practice, peer to peer learning and free onsite desk space. Open to 18-30 year-olds who have started their own creative businesses. Deadline: 9 July, 2021
Ian Parry Photography Scholarship
An international photographic competition for young photographers who are either attending a full-time photographic course or are under 24. Each winner will receive $3,500 towards their chosen project, mentorship and other perks. Deadline: 9 July, 2021
V&A Digital Wonderlands Residency
Invites applications from UK based practitioners working across the mediums and disciplines of digital creative arts. Offers £12,000 residency stipend and a studio space. Deadline: 9 July, 2021
The Burlington Contemporary Art Writing Prize
Seeks to discover talented writers on contemporary art. The winner will receive £1,000, their review will be published on the Burlington Contemporary platform and they will also have the opportunity to publish a review of a future contemporary art exhibition in The Burlington Magazine. Deadline: 12 July, 2021
W&A Working-Class Writers' Prize
Offers a cash prize of £200, plus mentorship from author Paul Mendez, Society Of Authors membership and numerous other perks including free books and guides. Deadline: 16 July, 2021
Liverpool Without Walls outdoor events grants
Liverpool-based organisations can bid for grants of up to £20,000, to help them deliver outdoor arts and creative events which will encourage audiences back in to the city, showcase new talent and support Liverpool’s reputation as a city renowned for staging performances and festivals. Deadline: 25 July, 2021
Netflix Screenwriter’s Fellowship
Looking for applications from writers of Black, Asian and other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Fellowship includes a bursary of £22,568 to write a spec script for an original idea over the course of a year, monthly development workshops, and a paid placement in a writers room of a Netflix or Sky series. Deadline: unconfirmed but you need to be available from September
Royal Television Society Bursaries
Awarded to students from less-affluent backgrounds who demonstrate potential and determination. They must be studying TV Production and Journalism or related subjects, or degrees such as Physics, Maths and Computer Science. Offers mentoring and £1,000 per academic year of study. Deadline: 1 September, 2021
Society of Authors Contingency Fund
Helps writers, illustrators, literary translators, scriptwriters, poets, journalists and others, whose author-related activities make up a substantial amount of their annual income. Grants range in value from £500 to £2,000. Deadline: ongoing
ArtCry grants
ArtCry is setup to provide a rapid turnaround of funding for art works responding to current events. Grants of up to £2,500 with a panel of artists, activists, creators and producers making decisions on applications within a week. Deadline: ongoing
Help Musicians Hardship Fund
The third phase of one of the major support funds for musicians is now open and will support successful applicants with a monthly top-up until March 2021. Deadline: ongoing
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
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