Commission grants
Funding range: Up to £7,500; and £7,500+
We are keen to support the commission and acquisition of new work, and we welcome proposals for exceptional projects with significant public impact.
Commissioned work often has a singular ability to respond and reveal new aspects to collections or places in direct, timely ways, and commissioning an artist(s) to create a new work of art for a museum collection can help to forge closer relationships with artists and audiences.
Applications for commissions are considered as a part of our acquisitions programme. As such, we would expect any commissions to be of international, national or regional significance.
We recognise, however, that there are distinct opportunities and fundraising challenges in realising a commission, and that the acquisition of a commission can be conceptualised and carried out in many different ways; for example, as a unique permanent artwork that can be accessioned into a public collection, or as a temporary, ephemeral or performance piece that may only have a permanent legacy in the form of archival material.
For your application to be successful you will also need to make a strong case in the following three areas:
Benefit to the artist
Benefit to the organisation
Benefit to audiences
Applications for support for commissions need to demonstrate the impact of the work of art within the context of all three areas above.
What we can fund
Who can apply
Grants available
The programme has two levels of funding available.
Main grant
Grant requests of above £7,500 and/or where the total cost of the work is more than £15,000
Next application deadline: These applications are decided at each of our five trustees' meetings per year. Please get in touch with us for further information.
Decision by: A decision will be made within one week after the trustees' meeting.
Application rounds: February, May, July, October and December
Small grant
Grant requests of £7,500 or less where the total cost of the work is £15,000 or less
Next application deadline: We consider these applications on a rolling basis. There is no strict deadline.
Decision by: Approximately 6-8 weeks from date of submission.
Conditions
As an independent charity, we receive no government funding and are entirely supported by our members, who buy the National Art Pass, as well as by the generosity of many trusts, foundations and other individuals.
- Your own page on the Art Fund website
- Marketing support and brand exposure
- Access to free tools and resources, such as Art Tickets
On average our National Art Pass network members enjoy more visitors and additional revenue
Some of our grants come with specific terms and conditions, including free or reduced entry for National Art Pass members.
Please contact:
- programmes@artfund.org for more information on grant conditions
- museums@artfund.org if you would like to know which conditions might already apply to you
Whether or not you are successful in your grant application, you may be eligible to join the National Art Pass network. Join 850+ venues across the UK working towards a shared vision – to help museums and galleries do more.
- Your own page on the Art Fund website
- Marketing support and brand exposure
- Access to free tools and resources, such as Art Tickets
On average our National Art Pass network members enjoy more visitors and additional revenue
Some of our grants come with specific terms and conditions, including free or reduced entry for National Art Pass members.
Please contact:
- programmes@artfund.org for more information on grant conditions
- museums@artfund.org if you would like to know which conditions might already apply to you
How to apply
Your application
Read the guidance
If your application is successful, we will send you our offer paperwork with more details on how to claim your grant.
Get in touch
If you haven’t found what you need in the Guidance for applicants, get in touch with Ying Tan, Senior Programme Manager, Acquisitions.
Submit your application
For application forms and to apply, please log in to your My Art Fund account, or create an account. You must be registered as a professional user. If you already have a My Art Fund account, but are not registered as a professional user, you can add your professional details when logged in.
After you've applied
Acknowledgement of application
We’ll inform you as soon as we have made a decision.
Claim your grant
If your application is successful, we will send you our offer paperwork with more details on how to claim your grant.
Receive feedback
If your application is unsuccessful, we will email you to let you know the outcome and offer feedback if relevant.