Arts Council England

National Lottery Project Grants

Arts Council England's open access programme for arts, libraries and museums projects, always open for applications from £1,000 to £100,000 (a separate £100,001-and-over strand needs an expression of interest first). Individuals and organisations of any kind can apply, including charities and unincorporated groups, for time-limited projects of up to three years that reach and engage people and communities in England. There are no deadlines; applications of £30,000 or under submitted from 1 September 2026 get a decision within 8 weeks. Current time-limited priorities are Unlocking Collections (museums) and, from 1 November, Universal Library Offers (public libraries).

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: £1,000 – £100,000; no fixed round
Deadline: Rolling; apply any time
Effort: Heavy; budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

Individuals and organisations based in (living in or with a business address in) England or the wider UK; applicants must be at least 18, and organisations must have an accountable person aged 18 or over
By organisation Arts Council means a group of people working towards a common goal with a governing document that covers the type of project applied for - for example charities, limited companies or unincorporated groups
Organisations need a UK bank account in the organisation's exact name with two signatories; limited companies and registered charities need a registered office in the UK
Consortiums, partnerships, networks and groups can apply, with one organisation acting as lead and accountable for the grant
There is no income limit
National Portfolio Organisations and IPSOs cannot apply for £30,000 or less, and anyone with an overdue condition on a previous grant must clear it first
Only one application can be pending at a time (a second needs written permission)

What it funds

Projects with a start and end date, clear aims and ways for people to experience or take part in creativity or culture, whose primary outcome focuses on one or more of:

Combined arts (including festivals and carnivals)
Dance
Digital arts
Libraries (activity delivering at least one of the four Universal Library Offers)
Literature
Music
Museums and collections
Theatre
Visual arts

Projects must reach and engage people and communities in England, during the project or in the future.

Funding can also support things that develop creativity and culture, such as skills development, research and development and organisational development, as well as touring, buying equipment and assets, building projects, international activity and time-limited overheads directly related to the project (with a contribution to ongoing overheads if not covered elsewhere).

Projects can last up to three years.

Applicants are asked to find at least 10% of the project budget from other sources (match funding, which can include support in kind) where possible; applicants who cannot can give a reason.

What it will not fund

Activities that do not focus on the disciplines supported (arts, libraries, museums and collections)
Statutory, further or higher education costs, or activity directly linked to a formal course of study
Ongoing overheads or running costs outside the project timeline
Re-applications for the same activity that do not address the reasons the earlier application was unsuccessful
Activities, goods or services that have already taken place, or been bought, ordered or contracted before a decision
Taking work to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (not normally funded)
Cash prizes and re-granting
Projects that make a profit (surplus income not spent within the project)
Fundraising and donations to other individuals or organisations
Carbon off-setting payments
Applications from National Portfolio Organisations and Investment Principles Support Organisations for £30,000 or less
Applicants with an overdue condition on a previous Arts Council grant

How to apply

Read the Guidance for applicants for your strand (£30,000 and under; £30,001-£100,000; £100,001 and over) and the 'Is my project eligible?' information sheet, plus any relevant information sheets (e.g. buildings, equipment, children and young people)
Create an applicant profile on Arts Council England's online grants system
Complete the eligibility questionnaire and online application form: your project, people and communities, planning and timeline, partners, budget (income and expenditure), fair pay, and risks
Submit so that your project start date is at least 8 weeks after submission for £30,000 or under (at least 14 weeks for larger strands)
Arts Council checks eligibility, then feasibility and risk, then a staff panel in the Area office (normally weekly for £30,000 and under) makes the decision
If funded, accept the offer letter and terms and conditions; the grant is usually paid 90% at the start and 10% after the final report

For £100,001 and over (Major Projects and Place Partnerships) and Touring applications of £30,001 and over you must first submit an expression of interest and be invited to apply.

Permission to apply is needed for a second concurrent application, time-sensitive applications and building projects of £30,001 and over.

There is no appeals process; unsuccessful applicants can reapply if they address the feedback.

Have ready

Governing document covering the type of project (for organisations)
Budget with income and expenditure (a cashflow template is provided)

The form is mostly online answers; supporting material can be a weblink or attachment, and a permission-to-apply letter must be uploaded if one was needed. Evidence of income may be requested as a payment condition.

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