Voluntary Arts Week Microfund - Ireland
£100 Event Expenses Fund for individuals or arts groups
to put on a new event during Voluntary Arts Week 2016
What is the Microfund?
This Microfund is part of the #LoveTo Fund powered by Voluntary Arts Ireland. The fund will help you to put on new
events in Ireland between the 6th and 15th of May 2016 as part of Voluntary Arts Week 2016. This fund is ideal for
emerging or established groups or creative citizens who want to try something new. Awards of £100 will be made to
up to 20 different groups or individuals. This is a competitive, limited fund, scored by a panel. The closing date for
application is 7/3/2016. To qualify, you must put on an event during Voluntary Arts Week 2016 that aims to do at
least two of our main aims.
Engagement; reach new audiences, participants or volunteers.
Partnership; work with other organisations or people that enable all of you to work more effectively as a result of
sharing information, skills or pooling resources.
Innovation; use new ideas or approaches in a way that has an impact on your event. So fresh thinking that creates
value.
Creativity; creative development in your art and craft form. Your event enables volunteers and participants to
develop significantly in terms of their skill levels.
How do we apply?
Events do not have to be completely new, they can be part of your group’s usual programme, but if so they must
address at least two of our main aims and take place during Voluntary Arts Week 2016. We will make awards of £100
to up to 20 different applicants.
The application process is very simple – you can apply with an email or letter of approx. 5 paragraphs, plus a straight
forward information form. Or you can apply in person via a Voluntary Arts Ireland Pop UP Arts Clinic appointment,
were you can talk through your application with our Voluntary Arts Development Officer and fill in your information
form within an hour’s session. However, before you begin we suggest you read the rest of this document then give
Emma Whitehead a call on 07828570837 or drop an email to emma@vaireland.org and outline your idea. That way
we can help you decide if this is the right fund for you. This is a limited fund and your application must be received
by 7/3/2016. If you are planning more than one event you may apply for the fund more than once but priority will be
given to new applicants.
‘Who can apply?’ checklist
You need to be able to answer yes to the questions below in order to apply.
Are you a group or individual that puts on/are planning to put on creative activities or events in Ireland during Voluntary
Arts Week 2016 and intend to list your event on the Voluntary Arts Week website www.voluntaryartsweek.org ?
Are you acting on a not for profit or voluntary basis?
Is your event delivering two of the main aims of the Voluntary Arts Week Microfund?
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any additional priorities for the fund?
We do have some additional priorities as part of the #LoveTo Fund, we would like to know if your events contribute
to our priorities by reaching our target groups (see the information form on the last page for the full list). You will
not be scored against these criteria.
How will our application be scored?
All bids will be scored on how well our panel feel that they meet two of the four major aims of the Voluntary Arts
Week Microfund.
Do you need to provide match funding?
This depends on the event. If it is an event you already put on each year, we would expect to see the Friendly Little
Fund being used specifically for an additional part of that event – perhaps making the event more accessible in some
way or reaching new people - with the rest of the event funding funded from other sources. If it is a new event in
your schedule and you need our funding to make it possible, match funding is not required.
What is the difference between a volunteer, participant and audience for this initiative?
Participant: A participant is someone taking part in the creative cultural activity – whether they are painting or
drawing or performing or making, the participants in an event are engaged in the creative activity during the event.
Volunteer: A volunteer is someone supporting the creative activity but not taking part in it directly. They might be
checking tickets, making tea, running a website, managing the group’s advisory committee and many more things.
We expect volunteers involved to be taking part free of charge, and sometimes to be receiving expenses if they have
long term roles.
Audiences: Audiences experience the activities, watching a performance, visiting an exhibition. It is great when
events are free for audiences to watch – things like flash mobs or other shopping centre performances, or visits to
residential homes for example. However it is also ok to include events where audiences pay for their tickets,
provided the participants whose work they are experiencing are not being paid.
Your Application
Please write a letter or email which answers the following questions in order and send it together with our single
page information form to emma@vaireland.org or contact Emma to arrange a Pop Up Arts Clinic appointment – we
recommend you think about the 5 areas below before your appointment.
We suggest writing only one paragraph for each question.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Tell us about what you or your group does or is planning to do
Tell us about who is involved
Tell us what event you are holding and why it is important to you
Tell us how you are going to meet at least two of the main aims of the Friendly Little Fund
Tell us what you are going to spend the award money on.
Microfund as part of the #LoveTo Fund
Information Form
Name of person in charge of the application:
Positon in group (if applicable):
Name of the group (if applicable):
Contact address or email:
Name of partner organisation (if applicable):
Contact Phone:
Event Date:
Event postcode:
Regular meeting postcode (if different):
Please tick the relevant box if your event contributes to any of our additional
priorities:
Targets young volunteers
Targets disabled volunteers
(aged between 18 and 30)
Involves young participants
Involves disabled participants
(aged between 0 and 30)
Is part of the Creative Citizens
Programme
Celebrates cultural diversity
Targets volunteers from
disadvantaged areas
Involves participants from
disadvantaged areas
Promotes health and well being
Please tick the boxes to confirm the following. If you cannot tick all the boxes below this point you should not apply.
Our event will take place as part of the Voluntary Arts
I understand that:
Week 2016 programme and be listed on the Voluntary Arts
Week website.
● All issues relating to health and safety, insurance,
I/We are acting on a not for profit or voluntary basis.
Our event will deliver at least two of the main aims of the
Microfund as specified in our application.
If our application is successful we agree to take
photographs of our event and produce a short write up of
our experience for the Voluntary Arts Week website.
●
●
The person signing and submitting this form has the right
to do so on behalf of the event organisers.
I understand that by submitting this Voluntary Arts Week
Microfund application, I confirm that all information
contained is true and correct.
Signed:
Date:
●
●
financial risk and any other matters relating to
the event remain the sole responsibility of the
group.
Applications will be scored by a panel, this is a
competitive fund with only a limited amount of
awards possible. All applicants will be notified of
results within 14 clear days.
Successful applicants will receive an award offer
letter, which must be signed and returned with
proof of bank account details by Monday 28th
March 2016 before payment can be made.
Successful applicants are required to list their
event on the Voluntary Arts Week website by
Thursday 31st March 2016.
Successful applicants are required to attend a
post event evaluation session via appointment
with the Voluntary Arts Ireland Development
Officer.
Please send your applications to Emma - emma@vaireland.org Please remember to include the required letter or email with
short answers to our 5 simple questions as well as this form. Please remember to sign the form. Handwritten, scanned forms, or
electronically completed forms are acceptable. Original signatures are required on handwritten and scanned forms. For
electronically completed forms we will accept typed name and date as verification of application. We prefer email or face to face
applications, if this is a problem contact Emma on 07828570837
If you require a large print or other version of this form please let us know at emma@vaireland.org or
07828570837