Ikigai Journal #001
15th June 2020
When I first learned about the concept of Ikigai I felt a mixture of elation and frustration. I have always been in search of a fulfilling existence, full of growth and achievement. It has been a winding journey of trying to achieve things that align with my truest nature, but mostly it's felt like building a house without any blueprints. Until, Ikigai.
Ikigai is an ancient philosophy that sets out a map for a lifelong pursuit of our individual reason for being. Your Ikigai is unique to you and consists of a harmony in doing what you are good at, what brings you joy, what you can get paid for and what the world needs.
My elation came from discovering that there is a clear map to a deepened sense of purpose, and it meant finding a harmony with who I am and what the world needs. So why was it frustrating?
The fact that I didn't know about this concept and neither did anyone I knew was frustrating, Ikigai would have reconciled the infinite and constant battle a lot of us face. There is a frustratingly common battle between doing what we love, creating our ideas or helping people and doing what I can get paid for, “corporate” creative production and selling “stuff”. My Mother and other innovative heroes of mine have taught me that shared frustration, when channelled, can be useful.
I found peace by turning my frustration into positive action by creating a newsletter. The Ikigai Journal, here to inspire you to take action, by connecting you with opportunities that will allow you to make a significant meaningful contribution to society. There are opportunities all around us to exercise and experiment with our Ikigai, but they are hard to find, until the Ikigai Journal.
Welcome to the community of doers, makers, movers, shakers and people with dazzling ideas. I believe in your ability to create a positive difference and I'm excited to see what you can do with the resources we will curate for you every week.
-Solomon. O - Editor
Lab Travel Grant by the British Council
Deadline – Rolling basis
Funding range – Discretionary
The British Council, supported by BFI NETWORK, offers new and emerging filmmakers, and filmmakers producing virtual reality and immersive storytelling experiences and installations, the opportunity to apply for funding to attend international training and development Labs. Lab Travel Grants can be used to cover travel and accommodation costs, course fees, and other expenses incurred whilst attending selected Labs.
Development Fund by the BFI
Deadline – Rolling basis
Funding range – Discretionary
The BFI’s Development Fund is intended for the formal development of projects that are unlikely to be commercially financed at an early stage and would therefore benefit from National Lottery support. Please ensure that you have read our funding priorities before you apply to this fund.
Catapult Film Fund
Deadline – Rolling basis
Funding range – $5,000 - $20,000
Catapult gives early support to propel projects forward that hold the promise of a story that should be uniquely told in film. We provide development funding to documentary filmmakers who have a strong story to tell, have secured access, and are ready to create a fundraising piece to help unlock critical production funding. We enable filmmakers to develop their projects to the next level, at the early stage when funding is hard to find. We support powerful and moving storytelling, by filmmakers with a strong voice across a broad spectrum of subject matter.
The Film Fund
Deadline – Rolling basis
Funding range – $10,000
Previous Awardees https://www.thefilmfund.co/previous-winners/#.XuUYlkVKjIU
Craft and submit one sentence with a compelling premise that also conveys why you need this funding to achieve your vision. The judges will choose the best one. Get creative capital to use for the production of a short, or use it as a film finishing fund.
The Lynn Foundation
Deadline – Rolling basis
Funding range – £500
The Lynn Foundation awards grants of £500 to small charities across five distinct categories, one of which is the arts and music.
The Enid Linder Foundation
Deadline – Rolling basis (next considered in December)
Funding range – £10,000
http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends09/0000267509_AC_20190331_E_C.PDF (page 5)
The Enid Linder Foundation has established its grant making policy to achieve its objectives for the public benefit to promote illustrative and musical talent. The Foundation carries out these objectives by awarding grants for projects that aim to develop and encourage individual and group talent in musical, theatre and illustrative art.
The Parabola Foundation
Deadline – Rolling basis
Funding range – No minimum or maximum
Notable awardees – Not made public
The Parabola Foundation’s objectives are to further charitable and cultural projects that will bring benefit to the public. It has been particularly keen to support music and the arts in a way that benefits the community.
The Woodward Charitable Trust
Deadline – 31st July
Funding range - £3,000
http://woodwardcharitabletrust.org.uk/recent-awards/
The Woodward Charitable Trust prioritises arts outreach work by local groups involving disadvantaged people. The Trust prefers to fund small to medium-sized charities that can have a greater impact with smaller grants. Applicants must have an annual income of less than £200,000 and no more than 6 months running costs in its unrestricted reserves.
The Garfield Weston Foundation
Deadline – Rolling basis
Funding range – £100,000 (reviewed on an ongoing basis) and £100,000+ (reviewed at one of the Foundation’s 8 Board meetings a year)
The Foundation continues to support organisations that delight and inspire audiences across the UK. From small community theatre groups to national art galleries, the Foundation has long supported the nation’s cultural life. It recognises that fundraising can be challenging and so the Foundation continues to make both Revenue and Capital grants to organisations that engage with a variety of audiences and that can demonstrate their impact and quality.
The National Lottery Coronavirus Community Support by the National Lottery Community Fund
Deadline – Rolling basis
Funding range – Up to £10,000 and exceeding £10,000
The National Lottery will fund activities supporting people and communities affected by COVID-19, and will also help organisations overcome any acute financial difficulties they’re facing because of the pandemic. Due to high demand, the following organisations are prioritised: Organisations working with people and communities experiencing disproportionate challenge and difficulty; Organisations providing services and support for vulnerable people, for which there will be increased demand as a result of the COVID-19 crisis; Organisations which connect communities and support communities to work together to respond to COVID-19.
Small Grants Scheme by The Foyle Foundation
Deadline – Rolling basis
Funding range - £1,000 - £10,000
The Foyle Foundation’s focus will be to make one-year grants only to cover core costs or essential equipment…the priority will be to support local charities still active in their communities which are currently delivering services to the young, vulnerable, elderly, disadvantaged or the general community either directly or through online support if possible. Please note: the charity must have an annual turnover of less than £150,000.
COVID-19 Emergency Fund by the Sylvia Waddilove Foundation UK
Deadline – Rolling basis (hear back within 3 weeks)
Funding range – £1,000
The Foundation has set up an emergency fund to help small to medium sized organisations who are struggling to manage the financial impact of COVID-19 either because of increased demand for their services or loss of income. The fund is targeted at organisations in a critical position, with a focus on organisations operating in the visual and performing arts
John Coates Charitable Trust
Deadline – Rolling basis
Funding range – £5,000 - £10,000
https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/join-and-support/our-supporters/
The Trust supports both national organisations and small charities, with a focus on the arts. Please note that the Trust is currently only supporting charities that deliver projects in the following areas: London-wide or work focused in the boroughs of North Kensington, Lambeth, Merton, Wandsworth; Cambridge and the surrounding area; Hampshire; North West Norfolk; North Devon; Surrey; West Sussex.
The Robert Gavron Charitable Trust
Deadline – Rolling basis
Funding range – Up to £30,000
http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends35/0000268535_AC_20190405_E_C.PDF (page 16)
The Robert Gavin Charitable Trust gives financial support, for the public benefit, to a range of charitable causes. Principal fields of interest include the arts… A number of grants are made to new organisations during each financial year. These include small charities working in areas which cannot easily raise funds and which are without the resources themselves for professional fundraising.
The Elephant Trust
Deadline – Temporarily suspended
Funding range - £2,000
http://www.elephanttrust.org.uk/docs/therecipients.html
The Trust was set up in 1975 to make it possible for artists and those presenting their work to undertake and complete projects when frustrated by lack of funds. It is committed to helping artists and art institutions/galleries that depart from the routine and signal new, distinct and imaginative sets of possibilities. Please note, the following categories are not supported: arts festivals, group exhibitions, charities organising community projects, students, educational or other studies, residencies or research, symposia or conferences, theatres, catalogues, projects taking place outside of the UK.
The Golsoncott Foundation
Deadline – end of July
Funding range – Up to £3,000
http://www.golsoncott.org.uk/theatre.html
The Golsoncott Foundation awards grants to support projects that demonstrate and deliver excellence in the arts, be it in performance, exhibition, artistic craft, or scholarly endeavour.
Gisela Graham Foundation
Deadline – Rolling basis
Funding range – Up to £10,000
https://ggrahamfoundation.org/piano-competition/
One of the Gisela Graham Foundation’s objectives is: “To provide donations to corporate bodies concerned with the propagation of the plastic and performing arts, and in particular, concerned with training and equipping young performers and artists.”
Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants by Arts Council England and the National Lottery
Deadline – Temporarily suspended
Funding range – Less than £15,000 (hear back within 6 weeks) & more than £15,000 (hear back within 12 weeks)
https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/national-lottery-project-grants/project-grants-data#section-1
National Lottery Project Grants is an open access programme for arts, museums and libraries projects. The fund will support thousands of individual artists, community and cultural organisations.
The Mackintosh Foundation
Deadline – Rolling basis (Trustees meet in May and October)
Funding range – Up to £10,000
The Mackintosh Foundation gives priority to the theatre and the performing arts, and is looking to award grants that promote and develop theatrical, musical and dramatic arts by a variety of means including education, theatre refurbishment/restoration programmes and the sup
port of a broad range of theatre productions for the enjoyment and education of the public at large.
I remain humbled and grateful to be part of a community of creators, as you actively try to build your boldest visions, solve important problems and deliver urgent works of creativity. If you ever want to talk through your project or need any further assistance don't hesitate to get in touch.
- Solomon O, Editor