Funding and Project Development
We support artists, organisations and partnerships to develop ideas and secure funding to make them happen, with a strong track record working with Arts Council England and wider funding programmes.
We work across a range of scales, from supporting individual artists with Project Grants and DYCP applications, through to developing large, long-term bids.
A key part of this work was designing the initial programme of Rock Pools, a 10-year vision for Hartlepool and a Creative People and Places programme (2026 - 2029). The programme is built around a ward-by-ward approach, using action research and co-creation to work closely with communities over time, rather than delivering one-off activity. It focuses on increasing participation, supporting more people to shape creativity in their area and building a model that can respond to the realities of place.
Rock Pools is designed as a long-term piece of work that can test, learn and adapt, creating space for different approaches to emerge and develop over time. It brings together artists, communities and partners to explore how creativity can be embedded in everyday life, with a strong emphasis on equity, access and learning.
Alongside this, we’ve contributed to the development of programmes such as Between the Tides (2023–2024) and Hartlepool Waterfront Festival, as well as working with organisations and artists including Tees Valley Arts, Luca Rutherford, Resound Theatre and Lizzie Klotz to support the development of funded projects and wider programmes of work.
Our approach starts with the idea. We work with people to figure out what they’re really trying to do, shaping projects so they are clear, ambitious and grounded.
From there, we support writing, budgeting and structuring applications in a way that makes sense to funders without losing what makes the work interesting.
We understand how funding works because we do it ourselves. We know what funders are looking for, but we also know how to hold onto the integrity of an idea, making sure it doesn’t get flattened in the process.
We’re just as interested in early-stage ideas as we are in large-scale programmes. If you’re working on something and need a second pair of eyes, we’re always happy to have a skim, offer thoughts or help shape it, whether that’s formal support or just a conversation to get it moving.
Don’t be shy!