February 2014
ARTS COUNCIL OF NORTHERN IRELAND
NATIONAL LOTTERY FUND
INTERCULTURAL ARTS GRANTS
PROGRAMME
GUIDANCE NOTES
Application round
opens
24 February 2014
Deadline for Receipt of
applications
4pm, 3 April 2014
Decisions
June 2014
Copies of these Guidance Notes and Application Form are available to
download at www.artscouncil-ni.org.
If you require information on any aspect of the programme please contact
the Participatory Arts Team on 028 9038 5200 or e-mail
ldevlin@artscouncil-ni.org
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February 2014
Guidance Notes
Please read these notes carefully before completing the application form
Introduction
Improving relationships between and within communities and building a shared and better
future for everyone, is a vital element of the Arts Council’s vision, which is to place the arts at
the heart of life in Northern Ireland. That vision applies to everyone. It is absolutely inclusive
and means ensuring that everyone living here - regardless of social, economic, community or
ethnic background - has the opportunity to access and engage fully with the arts, and enjoy the
many benefits of doing so.
As part of its Intercultural Arts Strategy, this 3-year Intercultural Arts Grants programme,
launched in May 2012, aims to provide opportunities for minority ethnic communities across
Northern Ireland to access the arts; and use artistic activities as a creative vehicle in which to
explore and highlight social issues that impede access and participation in the arts.
Projects for this programme will be targeted, locally tailored and informed by the social issues
identified within the strategy. Projects will demonstrate clear linkage with the key strategic
themes of the programme identified below.
A copy of the Arts Council’s Intercultural Arts Strategy can be obtained from the Council’s
website:
http://www.artscouncil-ni.org
The Intercultural Arts Grants programme will support meaningful collaboration between ethnic
minority communities and artists. Applications to the programme will have to demonstrate that
the proposed project is informed by consultation with the target group. We are looking for
high quality and exciting participant-led arts projects that meet the strategic themes of the
programme.
Artist-led interventions can take many different forms- through music, visual arts (public art,
sculpture, craft etc), performing arts (theatre, dance, carnival, circus arts) and literary arts
(poetry, playwriting, short stories and so on). The list is not intended to be prescriptive.
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Strategic Themes
The Arts Council proposes to meet the creative and social needs of minority ethnic
communities through a set of strategic themes:
1. Intercultural Engagement
Promoting exchanges between different cultural groups within society
2. Development of the Minority Ethnic Arts Infrastructure
Develop collaborative working, through arts and cultural activity between new and existing
communities
3. Using the arts to develop community cohesion
Working to promote cohesion and integration for a shared and better future for all
4. Using the arts to increase awareness of diversity
Develop understanding of the diversity that exists in Northern Ireland
5. Development of programmes that use the arts to develop Good Relations
Working to develop good relations between new and existing communities in Northern Ireland
6. Using the arts as a vehicle to tackle racism
Working to tackle racism between new and existing communities in Northern Ireland
A copy of the Arts Council’s Intercultural Arts Strategy can be obtained from the Council
website: http://www.artscouncil-ni.org
Applications must state how the proposal responds to one or more of these themes.
Who can apply?
The programme is aimed at constituted community and voluntary groups working at a local
level with minority ethnic communities.
Who cannot apply?
Individuals
Arts Organisations
Organisations with statutory obligations to provide services for Minority Ethnic Communities
Broadcasters (excluding community service broadcasters)
Local Authorities
Central Government Departments
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How much can you apply for?
Grants from £500 to £10,000 are available. You can apply for up to 100% of the eligible costs
of the project.
What you can apply for
(These are examples only)
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Projects and events
Commissions and productions
Artists’ fees up to £35 per hour or a maximum of £150 per day for workshop-based activity.
Artists’/volunteers’/essential administrative travel expenses within Northern Ireland at 25.7p
per mile
Venue hire for workshops
Language translation costs
Materials/equipment
Equipment hire
Publicity and marketing costs
Co-ordination costs (Which are not already part of an existing salary)
Premium payment costs – any additional costs you are likely to incur through the
involvement of Section 75 groups, e.g. carers costs, visual aids (e.g. Braille), sign language
and hearing assistance. Note: these costs must be accounted for separately and will be paid
retrospectively at the end of the project.
What you cannot apply for
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Retrospective events
Party political and religious activities
Travel outside Northern Ireland
Excursions
Tickets to attend events
Overhead Costs (exceptional circumstances may be considered in a
small number of cases).
Activities that are not arts related
Fees for non arts-based courses
Fees for further or higher education courses at third level
Ongoing building maintenance costs
Web site design and upkeep
Building design (architecture)
Fundraising events
Activities or events which duplicate what already exists
Catering/hospitality
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What are the criteria for decision making?
The Council will assess your project against the following criteria:
Criterion 1:
Criterion 2:
Criterion 3:
Criterion 4:
Strategic impact
Partnership working
Quality of arts activities planned
Organisational and Project Viability
Your project must meet ALL the above criteria. It is very important that you think carefully
about how your project satisfies each criterion and use the application form to demonstrate this.
Criterion 1 – Strategic Impact: You should indicate how your project links to one or more of
the identified themes of this programme as detailed on Page 3 above.
Criterion 2 – Partnership Working: Your project should have the widest possible support of
your local community and the maximum possible impact. You should provide any evidence
you have that there is a demand for your project, e.g. letters of support, market research,
evaluation of previous projects. You need to give careful consideration to the way in which
your project is organised and presented so that it provides access to people from all sections of
society and builds community cohesion. You need to show that you are committed to working
in partnership with relevant organisations in order to meet the strategic themes of this
programme.
Criterion 3 - Quality of Arts Activity: You will need to demonstrate that the artists or
facilitators involved in your project have relevant experience, achievement or ability to deliver
the project to the target group. This should include CV’s including names, skills and
experience of artists and the other main people who will be involved in the project. If you have
not identified artists we can support you in doing this by providing guidance on where to source
artists and arts organisations.
Artists involved in the delivery of the project may be required to attend an information session
on the programme.
Criterion 4 - Organisational and Project Viability: You need to tell us about any plans you have
already made and how you will manage and carry out the activity to achieve its aims. You
need to show how you will manage the main stages of your project and what each stage
contains. You have to demonstrate that your project represents good value for money and show
what financial control systems you have in place to make sure that money is spent wisely.
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Assessment and Decision Making Process
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Once we have received your completed application we will acknowledge this in writing
and you will be given a unique reference number.
 The application will be assigned to a Community Arts Officer who will be responsible
for the assessment process. You may be contacted for additional information following
the initial checking of the application.
 A decision will be made through a moderation process. Moderation is the name given to
the meeting of Directors, Arts Development Officers and Assistant Arts Development
Officers to decide/ make recommendations on which applications should be funded and
to what level.
 We aim to inform you of our final decision within 3 months of the closing date.
 If you are unsuccessful you will receive a letter outlining the reasons for the decision.
 If successful you will receive a letter of offer setting out the conditions attached to the
offer.
Please note: Your project cannot start until after you have received the Letter of Offer.
Depending on the level of funds available, it may not be possible to support all applications
which simply meet the relevant criteria. Under such circumstances applications, which, in the
opinion of the Arts Council, best meet the criteria will be successful.
Projects will receive the grant in instalments, which will be set out in the letter of offer.
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Complaints Procedure
You can make your complaint in whatever form is most convenient to you. You can telephone
and speak to the appropriate member of staff. If you do not know who you should talk to, our
Receptionist will help. Alternatively you can write to, fax or email the Complaints
Administrator at:
Arts Council of Northern Ireland
MacNeice House
77 Malone Road
Belfast BT9 6AQ
Tel: 028-9038 5200
Email: complaints@artscouncil-ni.gov.uk
Further information is available at http://www.artscouncil-ni.org/other/complaints.htm
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who can apply to this scheme?
The programme is aimed at constituted community and voluntary groups working at a local
level with minority ethnic communities.
Individuals are not eligible to apply to this programme.
2. How much can I apply for?
Grants from £500 to £10,000 are available. You can apply for up to 100% of the eligible costs
of the project.
3. Can I apply for more than £10,000?
No, the maximum award is £10,000. The total costs of your project may be more than £10,000
but the council will not make grants of more than £10,000.
4. When will I get a decision on my application?
We aim to inform you of our final decision within 3 months of the closing date of the
programme. Please note that if you fail to meet our requests for further information this will
delay our decision.
5. Who can help me with queries concerning completion of the application form?
The Arts Council’s Community Arts Development Officers will be available to answer queries
concerning completion of the application form and guidance on contacting artists.
6. Do artists have to be involved in my project?
Yes. Artists and/or arts organisations must be involved in all projects. The Arts Council’s
Community Arts Development Officers can provide advice on how to access artists.
7. How do I buy services?
You will need to seek minimum of two quotations (fax or email confirmation should be
obtained) for supplies and services up to £1,500 in value (inc VAT);
4 selected tenders for supplies and services between £1,500 and £10,000 in value (inc Vat);
5 selected tenders for supplies and services between £10,000 and £30,000 in value (inc Vat).
This requirement does not include contracting artists to carry out workshops or give
performances.
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland reserves the rights to examine all paperwork to verify
compliance with this condition.
8. What is a Premium Payment?
A payment of up to £3,000 is available for successful applicants who can clearly demonstrate
that additional costs are associated with the delivery of their project for people with particular
needs as defined under Section 75 of The Northern Ireland Act 1998. This payment must be
accounted for separately and will be paid retrospectively at the end of the project on detailed
evidence of expenditure. Under this programme, Language and Interpretation costs are
considered core to the programme and do not fall into the Premium Payment category.
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9. Do I have to evaluate my project?
Yes, all projects receiving funding under this scheme will be required to report on their activity.
All grant recipients will be required to submit monitoring information at the midpoint and end
of the project.
10. What if I don’t have an Equality Policy/ Statement?
We can supply you with a sample Equal Opportunities Statement but it must be formally
adopted by your organisation and you must provide us with evidence of this.
11. Do I have to meet all of the Strategic Themes of this programme?
Your application should meet at least one of the stated themes.
12. Can I submit an application by email, on disk or by fax?
No.
13. Why does the Chair or a Committee member of the organisation have to sign the
form?
The Chair or a Committee member has to sign the application so that we have evidence that the
application has been properly approved by the management committee.
14. How should I describe my project?
On the application form you should describe your project in no less than 50 and no more than
200 words. For all projects you must attach a full description which must contain;
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Start and finish dates of the project;
Locations of all events within the project;
Names of artists, tutors, facilitators (if known) for each event or project; OR details of
the process you intend to use to select the artists or and arts provider/arts organisation.
 Projected participation including numbers and age ranges and whether they will actively
participate or will be an audience for a final presentation;
 For organisations whose programme includes the production of artistic material
(journals, magazines, or books, film, CD, or other media) a list of titles with print run
and projected sales. Such organisations should also document promotional events
associated with these materials (launches, readings, viewings, etc.);
 Name of Project Manager for each major element, along with experience statement.
 Details of any preparatory work you have already done, e.g. pilot programme
 Discussions with possible participants and level of community support
 Details of any premium payment services you intend to deliver (for section 75 groups),
including a rationale for providing the service, types and costs of services and numbers
of people involved
 Detailed budget including a breakdown for any single budget line over £1,000
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